Apple patent application outlines biometric vehicle unlock system

A newly published Apple patent application reported by CNET describes a system where a vehicle can be unlocked using mobile biometric authentication, potentially bringing Touch ID or Face ID to the car.

Entitled “System and method for vehicle authorization“, the application, which was initially filed back in 2017, looks to use mobile devices and biometric authentication to secure a vehicle.

The patent describes how when a registered user approachs their vehicle, that vehicle would send a signal to their mobile device, which would then communicate its approach back to the vehicle. The vehicle might request biometric authentication, which could be done on the mobile device, granting access to the car and using that biometric information to tell which user is approaching the vehicle allowing it to tailor certain settings to the specific user.

FACE ID registrations

A recently published Apple patent application suggests Apple will allow for more than two Face ID registrations, which could come in handy on an iPad that might be used by a family of people.

The “Multiple enrollments in facial recognition” patent application also discusses being able to log multiple faces for different looks.

Apple patents have described a number of potential future use cases for Face ID, and models coming this year have been reported to feature more powerful flood illumination to reduce false negative matches. Face ID’s security stood up better than Android facial recognition systems in a recent test with a 3D printed head.

Article Topics

Apple  |  automotive biometrics  |  biometrics  |  Face ID  |  patents  |  Touch ID