Biometric driver identification
Greater safety and comfort, better anti-theft protection
“Good morning, Anke. You are authorized to drive this vehicle, all systems are active.” That message greets the owner once she is seated behind the wheel of her Golf. It might sound a bit like science fiction – but not for Volkswagen, where engineers are already well on the way to developing reliable automatic driver identification.
The constant evolution of driver assistance and information systems brings ever-increasing driving comfort and safety. To achieve this, cameras and sensors have so far concentrated on capturing what is happening both in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle and farther afield. Automatic driver identification works in a different way. Here, the “attention” of the cameras and sensors focuses on the interior of the vehicle and more particularly on the driver’s seat. The upshot is significant progress in safety, comfort and anti-theft protection.
What the system can do …
Driver identification optimizes the settings of the vehicle’s active driver assistance and accident prevention systems specifically to suit the identified person. For example, specific restrictions can be imposed for new drivers. With the help of the driver profiles, the on-board accident prevention and assistance systems can even cater for different driving styles.
The seat and the backrest are immediately adjusted to the exact position that has been stored for the identified person as soon as he or she settles into the driver’s seat. And the headrest as well as the rear view mirror and the door mirrors are automatically adjusted to seat position and body height. While such aids clearly focus on safety, the added comfort is definitely also a factor worth bearing in mind. Other standard features of the driver identification concept include personalized settings for the navigation system, driver information systems and multi-media devices.
The third big benefit is anti-theft protection. The system sends a message to the owner’s mobile if it cannot identify the person in the driver’s seat. The owner then has several options: He or she can immobilize the vehicle via “remote control” or authorize use on a case-by-case basis. Or notify the police.
… and how it works
An infra-red camera performs a face scan of the person who has got into the vehicle and transmits the data to the “brain” of the driver identification system. It is even possible to factor in the person’s age, gender and – with the help of additional sensors – weight. It only takes a fraction of a second to compare the data from the scan with the information on all persons stored in the system. The start process commences if the identified person has authorization. If not …. see above.
The system is not yet mature enough for series production. The developers are currently working on live scan methods aimed at protecting the biometric system against attempts at impersonation, for example using photos, puppets or masks. After all, reliability is one of the outstanding features of the Volkswagen product range. And biometric driver identification will be no exception.