ultraviolet reflective leather steering wheel?

[Gensedan Toronto]

Just came across this gem in a very early review of the Sedan.

I'd heard about the auto defogger/humidity sensor, but this is the first I've seen about the Genny being the only one in its class to have a steering wheel designed to stay

Quote below:

"An automatic windshield defogger with humidity sensor and rain-sensing wipers allow crystal clear sight lines. No other car in the segment offers an ultraviolet reflective leather steering wheel, which keeps the surface cool to the touch, even in scorching sunlight."

Can anybody confirm?

 

[Aquineas]

Just came across this gem in a very early review of the Sedan.

I'd heard about the auto defogger/humidity sensor, but this is the first I've seen about the Genny being the only one in its class to have a steering wheel designed to stay

Quote below:

"An automatic windshield defogger with humidity sensor and rain-sensing wipers allow crystal clear sight lines. No other car in the segment offers an ultraviolet reflective leather steering wheel, which keeps the surface cool to the touch, even in scorching sunlight."

Can anybody confirm?

I live in Texas and will let ya' know in two months

 

[Mark_888]

I would not count on UV protection from making any real difference in the temperature if exposed to direct sunlight. One can apply various cleaners/treatments to just about any interior surface that also protects against UV rays, but the main benefit is to prevent cracking or other sun damage, and probably not so much lower temperatures in the sun.

 

[Pahaska]

I didn't have any hot steering wheel problems last summer on Texas with a record number of successive days over 100 degrees. I bought the car in July.

 

[DesertGen]

I left the car parked in the sun a couple of days ago (something I rarely do) and the steering wheel was almost too hot to touch. That's in sunny AZ in the low 80's.

 

[Gensedan Toronto]

yup, was definitely skeptical when I read that...but there it was in the middle of a very glowing reivew. Heck I've had tinted black on black cars that still had the steering wheel getting very hot in the sun. Sounded like a little 'over the top' marketing hype but thought I'd throw it out to the forum to check it out.

 

[jwaters943]

I've read this a few places. In fact, doing a quick Google search turns up a few relevant hits: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...=Genesis+uv+reflective+steering+wheel&spell=1

Who knows how beneficial this feature is in the real world.

 

[danieltoye101@msn.com]

I too remember the this item, but I think this feature never made it to the US Genesis. I could be wrong!!!

 

[Mark_888]

I've read this a few places. In fact, doing a quick Google search turns up a few relevant hits: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...=Genesis+uv+reflective+steering+wheel&spell=1

Who knows how beneficial this feature is in the real world.

UV protection is very beneficial. It is beneficial on your car windows, home windows, sunscreen you put on your body, sunglasses, regular eyeglasses (almost all of which have 99+% UV protection,) and likewise interior surfaces of your car that come in direct contact with sunlight.

The reason that UV protection is important is not protection from heat, but rather UV rays are very damaging to just about everything. UV rays can cause inanimate objects to deteriorate, crack or fade, and is a major cause of skin cancer. Products like ArmorAll provide UV protection, as well as many leather treatments. There are UV protection products for just about everything that can come into contact with the sun's rays.

In the case of a steering wheel, if the UV reflected off of it (assuming it got past the windshield, which may not happen to any significant extent if the Genesis windshield has substantial UV protection, which I would hope it does), then it would reflect back into the interior of the car and heat up the interior (if you believe the theory that UV rays are a significant source of heat or radiant energy).

 

[jwaters943]

I wasn't debating the benefits of UV protection in general, but merely in this one specific instance. It has yet to be determined whether leather with a UV coating has any appreciable long-term benefits over a high grade of regular non-uv reflective leather.

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[Mark_888]

I wasn't debating the benefits of UV protection in general, but merely in this one specific instance. It has yet to be determined whether leather with a UV coating has any appreciable long-term benefits over a high grade of regular non-uv reflective leather.

My point was that, although UV protection is good to have, the heat-reducing benefits of UV protection on the steering wheel are probably nil, and the claim was either over-exuberant marketing by Hyundai, or a misunderstanding by a reporter or copy editor. I also pointed out that UV protection can added to most surfaces with products like AmorAll.

 

[jwaters943]

Really, you had a point? I guess I'm just so used to you arguing over minute details ad nauseam that I somehow missed it.

 

[Disaster]

In the case of a steering wheel, if the UV reflected off of it (assuming it got past the windshield, which may not happen to any significant extent if the Genesis windshield has substantial UV protection, which I would hope it does), then it would reflect back into the interior of the car and heat up the interior (if you believe the theory that UV rays are a significant source of heat or radiant energy).

Higher frequency light is higher energy (vs. visible and IR) and is deflected less and penetrates surfaces more readily than lower frequencies of light...like ultra violet. Ask anyone who got a sunburn! UV light, hitting surfaces is transformed into heat and is a significant source of the heat on and in a car.

Of course, any UV treatments on windows will protect the interior and reduce the UV that hits the steering wheel in the first place. Most of the remaining UV, that gets in, is likely to be turned into heat, rather than get reflected back out.

I hate wood steering wheels...at least the fake plastic ones. They are cold in the winter and hot in the summer....much prefer leather wrappings.

 

[Mark_888]

Of course, any UV treatments on windows will protect the interior and reduce the UV that hits the steering wheel in the first place. Most of the remaining UV, that gets in, is likely to be turned into heat, rather than get reflected back out.

That is pretty much what I said, with one additional caveat. If the steering wheel did reflect UV rays, the rays would likely get reflected into the cabin, or even if they hit the window on their way back out, much of it would get reflected back inside because of the UV coating on the windshield (assuming any UV rays got into the cabin in the first place through the windows on the way in). They whole things sounds like a bunch of dubious hype to me. But aside from the heat, it is very important to have UV protection to keep the leather in good shape if one parks the car in the sun often.

 

[Mark_888]

Really, you had a point? I guess I'm just so used to you arguing over minute details ad nauseam that I somehow missed it.

Bragging about UV protection on a steering wheel is the ultimate in minute detail.