With the world driven by data, security concerns over stolen and leaked data have made us feel like we’re always being spied on. And that concept could get even worse if new technology from Magna takes hold in future vehicles. The concept of driver monitoring isn’t new – everyone from Hyundai to Mercedes-Benz offers some form of it to detect and warn you when you’re getting sleepy or distracted at the wheel. But most of these systems aren’t hidden, and you’re aware of their presence. That’s about to change.
A camera behind a mirror is an inherently creepy idea, but the Driver and Occupant Monitoring System (DMS/OMS) from Magna believes it can be used to make driving safer, and it’s about to start rolling out into production cars through an as-yet-unnamed European automaker.
Spy Technology Becoming A Real-World Safety Pioneer
Magna Mirror CameraMagna
According to the technology supplier, the system “is designed to add advanced driver and occupant awareness capability without increasing interior complexity or visible hardware.” In other words, the camera behind the rearview mirror can do the job of several other sensors without disturbing the design of the car’s interior. Magna believes it will be “a foundational element within next-generation vehicle architecture.”
The list of automakers Magna supplies with parts is exhaustive and includes the main players like BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Ford, GM, Toyota, and even Tata Motors, although it won’t say yet which of these has signed up to use the new monitoring system. Magna sees its DMS/OMS being picked up by one OEM as a significant step for the architecture of modern vehicles.
Magna Mirror CameraMagna
“This award reflects a growing shift in how driver monitoring is being deployed at scale – not as a standalone feature, but as part of an integrated vehicle architecture. Our mirror‑integrated approach allows automakers to add advanced safety capability while managing system complexity and preparing their platforms for future software‑defined functionality.”
– Matteo Del Sorbo, President, Magna Mechatronics, Mirrors and Lighting
Related
See-Through Cars? GM Thinks It Can Make It Happen
A new system would let you look “through” your car in real-time and any direction.
The Creep Factor Is Strong, Though
Magna Mirror CameraMagna
Driver monitoring exists so that the car can react to everything from eye movement to mood. Currently, the systems we come across in new cars are fairly basic and mainly track eye movement, so the car can warn a driver when they become inattentive. The most obvious are black modules mounted behind the steering wheel on top of the column with distracting red lights. They’re simple sensors designed to do one job and don’t have a big ick factor.
The same goes for the millimeter wave sensors that can track movement to an incredibly tight degree. They’re being used more at present so the car knows how many people are in the car, allowing it to adjust settings accordingly for things like environmental and sound controls. Patents have shown how automakers are starting to look at identifying drivers’ moods, but driver attention is the main safety sensor.
Related
7 Cutting-Edge Car Technologies To Keep An Eye On
We’re not yet in the realm of Star Trek, but these super-cool tech features are closer than you think.
As Magna points out, a camera can do a lot of sensing at once. Magna doesn’t specify in its press release, but driver attention is a major one. A camera can detect motion, light, and, using AI, objects. Hidden behind a mirror, it’s unobtrusive and easy to forget that it’s there. But of course, there are privacy and security concerns, and the automotive industry doesn’t have a great track record with modern tech and privacy so far.
Who Will Use This Tech?
Magna doesn’t reveal who the European OEM is that it’s entering a program with, but it’s likely going to be an upmarket one. A camera is overkill for just driver attention, but it’s the kind of tech we could see Mercedes introducing so it can use real-time data to do all sorts of things luxury car owners would appreciate, as well as add a safety layer.
