HARMAN Rocks Geneva Motor Show with First Pupil-Based Driver Monitoring System

Car mishaps are commonly caused by driving while distracted, tired or over-stimulated. However, with a revolutionary technology being showcased for the very first time at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, this may just become a thing of the past.

Developed by HARMAN International Industries, the proprietary eye and pupil tracking system accurately measures increases in pupil dilation as a sign of a driver’s mental workload. This technology recognizes high mental multitasking and high cognitive load in the driver’s seat and signals the other safety systems of the car to adapt to the driver’s state. It represents a huge step forward in the domain of Advanced Safety and Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) for vehicles.

Nowadays, there is a growing worldwide adoption of in-cabin cameras that enable features such as driver drowsiness monitoring and occupant detection. With the launch of high cognitive load detection, the eye and pupil tracking technology brings extra value to the driver-facing camera. Thanks to this technology intricate sensors built into steering wheels and seats, or biometric sensors that need physical contact with the driver are no longer required. The camera continually captures pupil dilation, and there is also a proprietary software algorithm that analyzes the pupil reflex utilizing advanced filtering and signal processing. The filter isolates and recognizes responses triggered by high cognitive load. The calculated outputs are then used in intuitively adjusting user interfaces, such as placing mobile devices in do-not-disturb mode or adjusting ADAS system intervention thresholds to reduce the driver’s physical and mental distraction.

According to Stefan Marti, Vice President of Future Experience at HARMAN, safety on the road is more critical than ever as more vehicles become connected. He noted that HARMAN is advancing the state of the art for solutions that balance the desire of drivers to stay connected in the car without compromising their security and safety. “Our priority is to arm OEMs with a holistic range of integrated technologies that address both driver wants and needs, and the HARMAN eye and pupil tracking technology is another advanced step toward a more intelligent driving experience.”