Cadillac trademark filing could signal facial recognition in North American cars

The market for biometrics in the automotive industry is expected to reach $503.15 million by 2025, up from $183.59 million in 2019 at a 19.06 percent CAGR, according to a report from Mordor Intelligence, as applications expand from premium vehicles to the more general automotive market.

Heartrate or ECG biometrics are an ideal modality for automotive applications, as they can serve multiple use cases, Morder says in the 125-page ‘Biometric in the Automotive Market – Growth, Trends, Forecasts (2020 – 2025)’ report. Fingerprint recognition is also expected to grow at a significant rate over the forecast period.

In the North American market, Mordor states that BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Ford have already announced intentions to implement biometric technology in their high-end models.

In addition to the anticipated shift beyond luxury vehicles, the market may also be picking up beyond its initial successes in China.

Facial recognition coming to US Cadillacs?

A trademark filing by General Motors with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and reported by Cadillac Society seems to suggest the company’s facial recognition system already on the market in China may be coming home to the American market.

Cadillac provides facial recognition capabilities implemented in the door frame of the 2021 Cadillac XT4 in China. The system includes a high-definition binocular infrared camera, a weather-proof touchscreen, a processor for infrared imaging, and an adaptive lighting system.

The system is activated by detecting the proximity of the driver’s smartphone, performing a scan and unlocking the door with a biometric match. The new version of the system will also include fingerprint biometrics and a password function as backup options. Up to eight faces can be enrolled, with one designated as the administrator.

The application for a trademark on ‘Modus Biometric System’ describes the system as an “Adaptive electronic vehicle comfort systems sold as an integral part of a motor land vehicle.” The system has been called ‘Face ID’ in China, and Cadillac Society suggests that the trademark filing could indicate that it will go by ‘Modus’ in North America.

Several 2021 Cadillac models were reported earlier this year to include face biometrics as part of a driver monitoring system. The biometric unlocking system, however, has yet to be announced outside of China.

Meanwhile, details continue to emerge about the all-electric HiPhi X from Human Horizons, which the company says introduced the ‘TECHLUXE’ vehicle class with facial recognition entry when it was unveiled recently in Beijing. CleanTechnica writes that the luxury vehicle does away entirely with door handles, but can also be opened with a smart key, or smartphone, through the HiPhi app.

Ceva licenses signal processing technology for vehicles to Renesas

Renesas has licensed a new high-performance digital signal processor (DSP) from wireless connectivity and smart sensing company Ceva to power its newest automotive System-on-Chip (SoC) for AI workloads associated with automated driving and electrical vehicle operation.

Ceva says its NeuPro-S and SensPro products have been licensed by multiple OEMs and suppliers of semiconductors to the auto market for automated driving systems, and its sound, vision, and sensor fusion hardware and software solutions can enhance vehicle occupants’ user experience and safety.

“We are honored that Renesas, a world leading automotive semiconductor supplier, has selected our leading-edge DSP solution for its next-generation automotive SoC,” says Gideon Wertheizer, CEO of CEVA. “Automotive manufacturers are continually adopting more cameras, radars and other sensors throughout the car to ensure a safer and more automated driving experience. Our leading-edge DSPs along with our software framework and stringent safety support are set to play a pivotal role in deploying these complex systems.”

Article Topics

automotive biometrics  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  Ceva  |  facial recognition  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  heartbeat biometrics  |  market research