Introduction
The integration of biometric technology with the automotive sector is popularly termed as automotive biometrics. It focuses on various segments including vehicular access ignition switch, vehicle immobilizer, rationalization, and health monitoring. It is predicted that the wearable technology will alter our automotive experience and completely change the vehicle shopping experience
Customer Perception
With the help of biometrics another level of security is introduced to a vehicle. This can be cited with the help of an example where the driver’s fingerprint authentication is also required along with a valid key to start the engine of the car. This two-fold security process complies with the vehicle’s anti-theft protection measures. The biometric components allow the driver to personalize the vehicle settings such as music, seat mirror position, navigation, and temperature. The system will be connected to an interior camera which recognizes the driver’s face, thus personalizing his settings.
State Farm, a US based insurance company planned a new type of auto insurance plan in its latest patent application. This plan would create insurance rates for customers based on the combination of their biometric and automotive data, thus customizing them. The Emotion management system (EMS) technology uses a combination of sensors and cameras to monitor the driver’s heart rate, grip on the steering wheel, body temperature, arm movement, head movement, vocal patterns, and respiration rate. If any of these are triggered, the system would offer a stimuli like nature sounds, fragrance, relaxing music or cool blasts of air to change driver’s behaviour. In case of a light headed feeling while driving under the influence, the biometric powered vehicle will slow and stop safely, preventing any impending accident.
The Automotive biometrics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 38.3% during 2016-2025. It is estimated that approximately 34 million passenger vehicles will have built-in, brought-in, cloud-enabled or a combination of all three biometric technologies by 2025.
The advancing Biometric technology is expected to radically transform and enhance the driving experience, wellbeing, and the security of the vehicles by 2026. With the help of partnerships between automotive OEMs and wearable companies, it is estimated that one in every three new vehicles will feature any of the biometric recognition methods amongst Iris, voice, fingerprint recognition method, heart beat monitoring, brain wave monitoring, stress detection, gesture recognition, pulse detection, and facial monitoring.
Automotive OEMs are saving up on the research and development expenditure by venturing into partnerships with the wearable companies. Wearable technology plays a major role in the interaction between automotive industry and biometrics. Top wearable companies in the market space are Adidas, Fitbit, Samsung, Google, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and Eurotech. These deal with different end user industries such as smart watches, cameras, e-textiles, clothing, mhealth, AR glasses, fitness, and activity tracker. The primary goal of wearable is to obtain and deliver key information to people in real time when they need it .
A prototype has been developed by DriveSafe Company which prevents the drivers from dozing off at the wheel, with the help of a built-in accelerometer in Google glass. This is done by analysing the movements of the head and the eyelids of the driver.
Mercedes Benz recently developed the glassware project which is designed in a way that enables drivers to keep their eyes away from the GPS system by overlaying the route directions through glasses on the road.
Its competitor Ford on the other hand is more focussed toward implementing technologies that monitor drivers’ health. Though presently at a nascent stage, the wearable technology holds the potential of disrupting the automotive market in the next 10 years.
Premium OEMs are keen on implementing the voice recognition technology being used in offerings such as Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana. The dragon drive platform that was unveiled last year by Nuance now features advanced voice biometrics that seamlessly integrates IoT to the vehicular device through a virtual assistant called ‘Dragon Drive Daily Update’ .This provides infotainment services including personalized updates on Traffic and Navigation while organizing sports scores, music stations, and other items of interest to the driver.
Biometrics in Automotive Industry- Forecast
Between 2016 and 2018, biometrics will be present in Executive, Luxury and Sports car segments.
Between 2019 and 2022, biometrics will penetrate into the Lower Medium and Upper Medium class segments driven by wearable technology and smart phones.
Between 2023 and 2025, biometrics will further penetrate into small and basic segment cars driven by cost reduction of the learning curve, sensors and microchips.
Conclusion
With the embedding of biometrics in automotive industry the gradual shift will be toward the brought in devices for HWW. With a high CAGR of 38.3% it will give birth to new business models such as device as a service and health as a service. Wearable, biometric, some key healthcare providers, and insurance firms will be key participants in this emerging business model. Cloud analytics will come into play during the time of emergencies to generate actionable insights and send notifications to the authorities.
Abbreviations
HWW: Health Wellness and Wellbeing
OEMs: Original Equipment Manufacturers
ADAS: Advanced Driver Assistance System
HMI : Human Machine Interface
AR: Augmented Reality
Citations
https://www.continental-automotive.com/en-gl/Passenger-Cars/Interior/Comfort-Security/Access-Control-Systems/Biometric-Access
http://electronicsmaker.com/automotive-intersecting-with-wearable-technology
https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/auto-insurance-plan
http://www.mitrefinch.ca/blog/the-future-of-biometrics-in-the-automobile-industry/
