For in-vehicle applications the intent of the system would be to provide occupant data that could be used in place of existing seat sensors.
- Primary functions would be for Occupant Classification – presence, size, etc.
- Eliminate Seat Sensors.
- Wellness detection would be the secondary deliverable.
- Seat belt correct usage as a signal warning only.
- Driver awareness is another option.
- Application as a security protocol to identify vehicle owners.
- Can also be designed for wireless-in car communication to reduce wiring comolexity.
The Driver Monitor System (DMS) typically a narrow-field-of-view (NFOV) camera that looks at a single face (the driver). Features start with head-pose, eye-gaze and eyelid opening, and extend into driver behavior, face identification, etc.
Cabin Monitoring System (CMS) typically a wide-field-of-view (WFOV) camera that looks at a full row in a vehicle. Features start with Occupant information and extend into Object detection, identification, gestures, etc.
Facial recognition technology (FRT) acts as a quick and efficient verification system, matching the face recognized in a still or video frame with a human face on a database. Refer Unlocking-Facial_Recognition_Technology-in-Healthcare.pdf (capgemini.com) for more information.
Smart Eye has been developing interior sensing systems for several years and is currently in production at Ford for DMS programs. Several groups at Ford have had experience with our development / evaluation kits for DMS. Newer kits for CMS features are now available.
Switzerland-based Eyeware has teamed up with Belgium-based semiconductor supplier Melexis to develop the GazeSense system. It uses a 3D camera that employs lidar VCSEL range sensing to more accurately identify an occupant’s face, eyes, and focus of attention. It performs well in a wider range of lighting conditions than the purely infrared cameras primarily used today. The low-resolution image isn’t any more flattering (nobody’s looking at it anyway), but it’s highly accurate, even at an angle. This opens greater possibilities for positioning of the camera (on the dash, rear-view mirror, A-pillar, etc).
Menlo Park-based SRI aims to take driver monitoring to the next level, by endeavoring to look beyond gaze to infer the driver’s holistic state of wellbeing. The system, which has been developed in Toyota’s LQ concept car.
Delaware-based radar specialists at Xandar Kardian seek to infer the cabin occupants’ general health by keeping tabs on resting heart rates, respiratory rates, and the general occupancy of the entire vehicle. By using impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) radar technology it can monitor the driver’s general health, notice drops in resting heart rate or respiration that could indicate drowsiness—information that could be used to turn up the air conditioning or music to rouse the driver. Refer My Doctor the Car? Future Cars to Monitor Drivers’ Health and Wellbeing (motortrend.com).
A few other examples:
- GM/Cadillac’s Super Cruise: Makes use of FOVIO driver monitoring technology to keep track of whether the driver is getting fatigued. It is available on the Cadillac Escalade.
- Volvo’s Driver Alert Contro (DAC)l: It makes the driver aware when they drive less consistently and become distracted due to drowsiness.
- Microsoft facial detection software for recognition and wellness detect – refer
- Mercedes’ Attention Assist: It is available in all the newest Mercedes models, including passenger and cargo vans.
- Using Machine Vision, RVT will automatically detect and alert the driver to risky behaviours, giving the driver a chance to self-correct before capturing footage. Refer Enhancing Fleet Safety: Video Monitoring Solutions | Rand McNally.
- BMW’s Active Protection System: It uses an attention assistant and a driver attention camera to detect if there are erratic movements that could indicate sleepiness. The Fatigue and Focus Alert feature is standard on cars like the BMW 7 Series.
- Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist: This comprehensive suite of safety assists monitors the way your vehicle behaves and will alert you if you drift outside of your lane. The tech is standard on all new Subarus, including the Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek.
- BodyWave® can monitor driver drowsiness, attention, and stress, warn the driver if they are falling asleep, not paying enough attention, or becoming stressed via the onboard computer, read brain data through sensors in the steering wheel.
The interior radar-based occupant monitoring system represents a significant innovation in automotive 
safety, leveraging advanced technology to enhance passenger protection and comfort. Positioned at the top of the cabin, the interior radar utilizes sophisticated algorithms and sensors to analyze the cabin context effectively. This analysis enables the system to detect the presence of living beings in the car, including newborns and children up to six years old, ensuring their safety during travel, as well as animals.
EF Technology Nidec Elesys’ Electrical Field (EF) sensing technology works by emitting a very 
low-level electrical field. The system is composed of a single-layered, flexible sensor assembly. The Elesys system fulfills the requirements set forth by FMVSS 208 issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States. Occupant Detection Technology the Occupant Position Detection Systems utilizes the same EF technology as ODS, but with sensors in the back cushion of the seat. If a child’s head is detected in the deployment path of the side airbag, the ECU will suppress the side air bag to prevent serious or even fatal injury to the passenger.
PolarCoat™ patented technology, licensed by Corning can now apply a surface treatment with 99% of polarization efficiency (PE). This new coating, launched in early 2010, is applied on the backside of plano sunglass lenses.
ORNL keeps food and beverages refrigerated with an advanced evaporator, phase change materials, metal foam, direct-contact defrosting technology and a low global warming refrigerant. Credit: ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Azcom Technology AWR1642 mmWave sensor, in combination with Azcom’s proprietary algorithms, can reliably recognize whether a seat is free or occupied. All processing, including Azcom Technology enhancements, runs on the sensor, while the graphical user interface on the host machine helps visualize the results.
The AWR1642 77GHz single-chip mmWave sensor with on-chip memory and a digital signal processor can sense very small movements, even breathing, that would indicate the presence of a person. The sensor is suspended from the sunroof for demonstration purposes, looking toward the back seat.
Fraunhofer IOSB detects the driver and all occupants equally. It recognizes the 3D body pose of all occupants and analyzes their movement behavior and classifies the activity of each individual person detected. This makes it possible to detect critical situations, such as a driver falling asleep, and to distinguish between different activities and the associated levels of distraction. Courtesy of Fraunhofer IOSB. The system distinguishes between up to 35 activities, including drinking, eating, sleeping, reading, and making phone calls. For this purpose, the machine learning algorithms process the 3D skeleton recognition of the occupants in combination with object detection and intelligent analysis of the movement behavior of all detected persons.
Perceptics Vehicle Occupant Detection (VOD) systems can be utilized in multiple different ways to help ensure safe driving practices and improve security. These systems utilize Perceptics cameras optimized for capturing images through windshields and software that is trained to identify humans. For security reasons, our VOD systems do not include any type of facial recognition or matching technology.
Each of our VOD configurations offers clear detection no matter the weather, configurable settings to meet your state and local regulations, optimized polarized lens and illumination to penetrate tinted windows and easy integration with your existing back-office software.
IVOD patented vehicle and passenger screening technology, security officers can see inside vehicles as they approach entry gates and know who is inside with accuracy and speed. The high-resolution machine vision camera is optimized for both day and night operation, the camera is paired with a powerful targeted array of LED lights that illuminate the driver and other occupants even through tinted glass, sun glare and at night. Using advanced image processing, the driver and passengers are highlighted while windshield glare from sunlight or overhead area lighting is removed through Gatekeeper’s advanced computer vision algorithms.
Tobii Autosense offers a holistic, and forward-looking approach to in-cabin safety. Powered by artificial intelligence, each passenger centric feature set relies on proprietary neural networks designed, trained, and tested by Tobi’s team of engineers, scientists, and problem solvers. It is deployed using edge computing, without the need for cloud connectivity, meaning it is designed to enable all data to remain within the vehicle. The Tobii Autosense Occupant monitoring system brings together regulatory alignment and in-cabin differentiation, enabling the next-generation interior sensing.
Tobii Autosense single camera interior sensing (single camera DMS + OMS | SCDO) can change the perspective on interior sensing by targeting specific use cases categories – wellbeing, HMI, productivity, and entertainment – while being built on safety and privacy focused foundation.
Email bbedi@designhmi.com for more information.
