AI, biometrics see major integrations in auto market seeking ever-smarter cars

“The next frontier in car customization is biometrics.” So proclaims a recent piece in Newsweek, entitled “Faces and Fingers Are the New Car Keys.” Chips, lidar sensors, LED screens, computer software and electronic devices are being combined with AI and biometric tools to hypercharge features like voice assistants, facial recognition, instant software upgrades and cabin climate control.

According to GlobalData, more than 100 automakers, startups and technology giants are “engaged in the development and application of biometric vehicle access.” Accordingly, the automotive market enters 2025 with a host of deals and integrations focused on security, driver safety and personalized in-cabin experiences that leverage biometrics.

Cerence to provide intelligence tech for Jaguar Land Rover

A press release says Cerence AI, “the world’s leading provider of automotive assistants,” has signed a multi-year agreement with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to develop enhanced intelligence capabilities for its next-generation in-car experience.

“JLR has long been synonymous with technologically advanced driving experiences,” says Cerence AI Chief Revenue Officer, Christian Mentz. Now, “Cerence AI will collaborate with JLR to craft a new generation of in-car experiences that enhance enjoyment, safety, and productivity by leveraging the latest technological advancements.”

JLT says “voice and AI technology” is central to its ongoing development as a luxury automaker. The company recently caught wide attention for its controversial rebrand campaign targeting a younger demographic for Jaguar.

Thales releases NFC card as ‘complement’ to digital car key

Thales’ current efforts in the automotive space are focused on vehicle access and security. Its digital car key product follows the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standard. Now, a release says the French company’s new smart NFC CARd Key is a customizable product designed to complement the digital key with contactless access and ignition capabilities.

Thales says the NFC-based card offers “a reliable alternative in the event of disruptions on users’ smartphones, and allows drivers to unlock and start their cars with a simple ‘tap’.” It works like a contactless payment card to establish secure, encrypted communication with the vehicle. Effectively, it is a more durable physical alternative to the mobile phone tool.

However, it could also open new marketing opportunities. The release notes that, beyond its technical features, “the NFC CARd Key presents a valuable branding opportunity for automotive manufacturers, as its design can be customized, creating a unique and singular card thanks to Thales’s wide range of printing options (3D effect, tactile varnish, etc.).”

LG uses chips from Ambarella for precise driver monitoring

South Korean tech firm LG has made recent moves in the auto sector and plans to showcase new product developments at CES 2025. A company release says its vision AI-based in-cabin sensing system is designed to bring “greater safety and convenience to the driving experience.”

Using a dual sensing technology comprised of LG’s Driver Monitoring System (DMS) and Driver and Interior Monitoring System (DIMS), it “intuitively adapts to individual preferences and needs, delivering tailored services such as personalized driving routes, real-time updates on road conditions and information on nearby infrastructure and points of interest.”

The DMS uses the CV25 AI system-on-chip (SoC) from Santa Clara-based edge AI semiconductor company Ambarella – a frequent collaborator for LG. The chipset enables object recognition and physical monitoring of high-quality, detailed imaging in low-light and over a high dynamic range.

It can monitor a driver’s heart rate and facial expressions in real time to gauge their emotional state, and send alerts as needed to optimize in-car conditions. Furthermore, by also detecting subtle eye and head movements, it can diagnose drowsiness or distracted driving irrespective of whether the driver is wearing sunglasses, a hat or other accessories.

Fermi Wang, president and CEO of Ambarella, says “the combination of LG’s highly accurate and reliable in-cabin solutions with the industry-leading AI performance per watt of our CVflow SoCs is enabling automotive OEMs to achieve the highest vehicle safety levels.”

Asian smart car market heats up with growing demand in China

Asia is a hotbed for smart automotive development, with legacy brands like LG and Hyundai racing to keep up with the demands of an exploding Chinese market. The South China Morning Post says demand for intelligent cars in China is expected to create a US$356 billion components industry by 2030.

According to You Zheng, vice-president of state-owned Dongfeng Motor, market penetration of intelligent cars has outpaced that of EVs, and it is highly likely all cars sold in China will be billed as intelligent vehicles within the next two years.

Among Asian automakers, Hyundai has integrated biometrics for years, and notably offers certain models with capacitance recognition, which detects differentials in the electricity level in various parts of the fingertip. Its luxury brand Genesis uses facial recognition for its Face Connect feature.

Per Newsweek, Tokai Rika, a Japanese technology supplier, recently filed a patent for a system using driver facial recognition for biometric vehicle access. Other companies researching the tech include Denso, Panasonic, Mitsubishi and Mazda.

Data privacy regulations ‘increasingly necessary’: EFF

Where data flows, there is always someone watching the current from a privacy perspective. The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s review of cars and drivers in 2024 notes the startling New York Times report from March, which found that automaker GM was sharing information about driver’s habits with insurance companies without consent.

Other car companies were soon discovered to be doing the same.

The EFF also highlights how data tracking could be a major privacy and safety issue for women in abusive relationships, and notes laws in California that address the issue. And on mobile digital IDs and mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs), it says “digital IDs are a major concern for us in the coming years, both due to the unanswered questions about their privacy and security, and their potential use for government-mandated age verification on the internet.”

The takeaway? In this day and age, everything with a chip gobbles data – and increasingly warrants appropriate regulation. “While we tend to think of data privacy laws as dealing with computers, phones, or IoT devices,” EFF says, “they’re just as applicable, and increasingly necessary, for cars, too.”

Article Topics

access control  |  Ambarella  |  automotive biometrics  |  biometrics  |  Cerence  |  data privacy  |  monitoring  |  Thales Digital Identity and Security