Consumer Electronic Show 2024 Reports One - In-cabin safety, surprise and delight.

In-cabin safety, surprise and delight.

By Thom Cannell
Senior Editor, Technology
Michigan Bureau
The Auto Channel

CES 2024, Las Vegas January 2024; How do you know the driver behind you is sober, alert and smart enough to have their seat belt fastened? Though today you don’t, beginning in 2024 you may—if you live in Europe.

Bosch, the global auto supplier says In-cabin sensors can, and will deliver a myriad of interesting features that help keep you safe, and might even start a pot of coffee on your way back from shopping.

Using video cameras, typically Infrared (IR) and radar, future vehicles will assure that you are alert and that your hands are on the steering wheel for those advanced driving features that permit hands-free driving. Mounting cameras and radar in the cabin, high to see more occupants or lower to get a better view of the driver’s eyes, together with advanced software deliver safety, and maybe some fun.

Safety features such as detecting drowsy or distracted driving will arrive first, as will detection of children left in the vehicle, then, relatively soon, the detection of chronic or acute health issues like stroke or heart attack are on the short-but-difficult list. The concept of combining data generated by multiple sensors is called “sensor fusion” and shows the promise of really cool features: improved intrusion detection, year-over-year health changes, better driver recognition and personalized vehicle settings, knowing it’s a gym bag on the seat and not a passenger, passengers with feet on the dash, even the size of passengers to affect air bag deployment.

Among the more interesting and potentially desirable ideas Bosch described is knowing if a driver is impaired by alcohol or other drugs (eye movement and velocity of movement is affected). Or, how about tracking eye movement (it’s going to anyway) and, using GPS information, suggesting you might want espresso at that shop your just viewed, or even (combined with the Internet Of Things) starting a fresh pot moments before your arrival.

Of them all, expect distracted driving to appear first as it is mandated in Europe later in 2024, to arrive first in North America. Oh, that latte you wanted? Bosch is working with Amazon Web Services today to deliver fresh tomorrow.