Hyundai is one of the automakers who are serious when it talks about safety. Both Hyundai and its luxury counterpart, Genesis, make cars that are simply loaded with safety features, many of which are standard. And, with the coronavirus pandemic forcing many people to just stay at home, this automaker is also doing a little something to encourage people to do their part in fighting this pandemic.

What the original Hyundai logo means

If you’re knowledgeable about cars or if you’ve seen a few Hyundai models in your day, you probably know what the company’s logo looks like. And even if you don’t know what it looks like, it’s pretty easy to remember. That said, it’s possible to get the Hyundai logo confused with the Honda logo, as both logos are just an “H.”

However, Hyundai’s logo, unlike Honda’s logo, is a slanted H. Also unlike the Honda logo, the Korean automaker’s logo also has a bit of a deeper meaning. As Motor1 reported, Hyundai’s logo actually represents two people shaking hands. This symbol of cooperation and collaboration is likely something that fans feel strongly about as the car maker is typically seen as a good car brand. 

The Hyundai logo during the Coronavirus pandemic

As Motor1 said, in the spirit of encouraging people to stay home and to stay safe, Hyundai reimagined its logo to fit with the times. As many people know, one way that the novel coronavirus can spread is by having close contact with people who have the virus. One way that many people have close contact with others is by shaking hands, so many health professionals are advising people to avoid shaking hands for now.

As a result, Hyundai’s reimagined logo is two people bumping elbows instead of shaking hands. Of course, as it’s implied in the company’s tweet, this isn’t an official logo change, but one just for the occasion. Like Motor1 mentioned, Hyundai isn’t the first automaker to do this logo change in light of the COVID-19 pandemic either. 

For example, Audi’s logo, which is four rings that are linked to each other, was changed to one where none of the rings are touching each other. Mercedes-Benz’s logo, which is a three-pointed star in the middle of a ring, was changed so that the star was smaller than before. 

This small act may encourage people to stay home and to practice good hygiene when they can’t be home. Ultimately, that’s the safest thing that people can do right now, so naturally, Hyundai, along with other automakers who are conscious about safety, are doing all they can to encourage this. But, that’s not the only thing that Hyundai is doing.

What the automaker is doing for its customers during the coronavirus pandemic

Many aren’t driving their cars right now, so Hyundai, according to Motor1, has decided to extend the warranties of Hyundai models that are close to expiring. Motor1 says that Hyundai will be extending those warranties to June 30th. This should affect the warranties of about 1.2 million cars from around the world. 

Furthermore, for customers who’ve lost their job due to the coronavirus pandemic, Motor1 says that Hyundai will help those people pay for up to six car loan payments. On top of that, Hyundai’s luxury counterpart, Genesis, will also be doing that for its customers. Additionally, owners of certain Hyundai and Genesis models may be able to defer payments for 90 days if they’ve lost their job due to this pandemic.

But, with that said, this pandemic and the likely recession that will come with it will also hurt consumer demand for new cars. After the dust settles, Hyundai and Genesis may have to scale down production in response to the economic downturn.