Hyundai Motor Company will repair the defect in the digital side mirrors installed in some Ioniq electric vehicles free of charge. A digital side mirror refers to a system that uses cameras and monitors instead of traditional glass mirrors.
Hyundai Motor Company recently notified Ioniq 5 and 6 customers of the free digital side mirror repairs. This is due to screen fogging caused by moisture and condensation in some vehicles. The free repair period starts today, and the vehicles eligible for the repairs are Ioniq 5s produced from Oct. 17, 2020, to Mar. 22, 2024, and Ioniq 6s produced from Aug. 22, 2022, to Nov. 27, 2024.
Moisture and condensation have been identified as the cause due to the temperature difference inside and outside the digital side mirror cover glass. Moisture and condensation can form in the gap between the camera lens installed in the location of the existing side mirror and its cover, causing the internal monitor screen to appear cloudy.
The digital side mirror is noted for its major advantage of providing a wide field of view without blind spots by using monitors to check the side and rear. In particular, a clear camera image and a monitor capable of brightness adjustment enhance visibility when the view is obscured at night or in snow and rain. However, awkward depth perception and high costs are noted as drawbacks.
Hyundai Motor Company first applied the digital side mirror to the Ioniq 5, which was released in 2021. The price of the digital side mirror, which is an option, is in the mid-1 million won range. It is reported that about 20% of Ioniq 5 and 6 vehicles sold choose the digital side mirror as an option.