The hot weather in many parts of the U.S. this summer magnifies the ongoing problem of deaths resulting from infants or young children left in cars by parents or caregivers. With 32 hot car deaths so far in 2019 according to injuryfacts, the problem is not likely to go away anytime soon.
Vayyar, a global supplier of 4D imaging technology, is trying to solve that problem with a dual-band sensor developed specifically to increase safety and passenger monitoring in the interior of a car. The sensor is reportedly the first to provide manufacturers with sensors that meet country-specific frequency requirements, such as a 79 GHz band in Japan, or a 60 Ghz band in Europe and the United States. The multi-band capability will provide flexibility to manufacturers and tier 1 suppliers by offering a choice between these frequencies.
The need for more advanced interior car monitoring and safety has become so critical an issue that by 2022, child presence detection will be a requirement through the HOT CARS Act legislation in the USA and the Euro NCAP. Vayyar’s universal sensor solutions will be able to detect if an infant has been left in a vehicle, even if they are covered by a blanket or in a car seat, and send a notification to a driver’s phone to alert them of the danger.
“Today, in a global market, car manufacturers need absolute flexibility on frequency ranges for an in-cabin safety solution,” said Ian Podkamien, Director of Automotive Business Development for Vayyar, in a statement. “With this advancement, we hope to prevent dangerous and life-threatening situations from happening in vehicles and look forward to working with manufacturers to create smarter, safer cars.”
The sensors' point cloud capabilities are able to display the dimension, shape, location and movement of people and objects, and enable the complete identification of the car’s environment--regardless of environmental conditions like darkness. In-cabin safety solutions include seat belt reminders (SBR), optimized airbag deployment, gesture control, driver drowsiness alerts and Child Occupancy and Detection (COPD) alarms.
Vayyar’s RF sensor on a chip has 48 transceivers at 60 GHz and 79 GHz wide-bands, allowing over thousands of virtual channels. The chip also consists of an internal DSP for real-time signal processing, saving the need for an external ECU. This dual-band solution is easily integrated into existing automotive framework. It offers multi-function capabilities to reduce the overall cost and number of sensors needed for a vehicle.
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