Hyundai Casper Electric Introduces First-Ever Pedal Misuse Prevention System

More important than any other option?
Hyundai’s Casper Electric
The first South Korean-made vehicle to be equipped with this device

Hyundai’s Casper Electric is consistently making headlines. Key highlights include its affordable price range in the low to mid $20,000s, the inclusion of an NCM battery, and a driving range of over 300 km (186 miles). However, another feature of Casper Electric merits further attention.

This model is the first South Korean vehicle equipped with a pedal misoperation safety assistance system. Pedal misoperation can happen to anyone, whether a novice or a veteran driver. Any driver can unconsciously confuse the accelerator pedal and the brake, resulting in incorrect operation. Pedal misoperation occurs frequently worldwide and is an issue for which clear cases exist.

Humans are making mistakes
Accidents can be prevented through technology

Humans are smart but not perfect beings. In other words, the driver may be confused enough to press the vehicle pedal incorrectly. However, humans have historically solved their shortcomings by being smart. Pedal misoperation can also be prevented with cutting-edge modern technology.

The pedal misoperation safety assist function installed in Casper Electric is activated when the front and rear obstacles are closed while stopped or driving at low speeds. This function’s operating principle is to reduce accident damage by suggesting deceleration and emergency braking when the driver mistakes the accelerator pedal for the brake pedal and makes a sudden operation.

First introduced in South Korea this year
What do other countries do?

Discussions about pedal misoperation are already active around the world. In particular, Japan has been actively speaking out on accidents related to pedal misoperation. Toyota has already been introducing a technology called ICS since 2012. Toyota ICS is a device that detects objects through sound waves, a rear camera, and brakes to alleviate the impact when the vehicle accelerates rapidly due to driver error.

Subsequently, Toyota announced the Pedal Mis-operation Acceleration Control System II, an improved version of ICS technology, in 2020. This technology suppresses acceleration when pedal misoperation is detected, even if there are no obstacles in front of the vehicle. Japan, which recognized social threats in advance and quickly sought solutions, is said to have installed the above devices in 90% of new cars sold in the country as of 2022. Also, Japan plans to make installing a pedal mis-operation prevention device in all new vehicles mandatory starting in June 2025.

It’s not a matter of getting emotional
Prevent threats posed by technology with cutting-edge technology

As mentioned earlier, accidents due to pedal misoperation can happen to anyone. Rather than imposing regulations on specific age groups, it would be more constructive for manufacturers to take the lead and actively introduce preventive technologies.

The number of eco-friendly vehicles will gradually increase. Electric cars generally have more robust output than conventional internal combustion engines. Also, maximum torque is exerted from the beginning. If you step on it, it will go the way you do. Moreover, in the case of electric vehicles, there are no gears to control output properly. Threats posed by technology must be prevented with cutting-edge technology. There is a precedent, so we just have to follow it.