Ford and Intel working on interior-facing camera system
Ford and Intel are working on something they’re calling Project Mobii – which is short for Mobile Interior Imaging – they’re calling it ‘the future of in-car personalization and mobile interior imaging technology’.
One of the most interesting features of the project is that it will sense whether the driver or passenger is reaching for the sat-nav. In this case, the driver can only make changes to guidance via voice control, while the passenger will be able to actually type instructions.
The idea behind such a feature, if it were mainstream, it would make it unnecessary to include a lock mode in sat-nav systems to begin with.
These interior cameras will be paired with sensors that will be capable to decipher simple gestures and voice commands, this means that you could maybe point at the sunroof and say ‘open’, and the sunroof will open.
The Project Mobii will also offer several personalization features as well as a smartphone app that will allow remote surveillance of the cabin and can authorize or decline another driver to drive the vehicle via facial recognition software.
Ford research engineers have been collaborating with Intel ethnographers, anthropologists and engineers in order to develop the Project Mobii prototype.
One of the project’s features would be to allow you to look into your car from anywhere on your phone, let’s say forgot something and you think it’s in the car, well you’ll be able to check remotely.
The facial-recognition software could also be used to further personalize one’s drive by being updated with one’s schedule, music and contacts, kind of like when you’d be logging into your account on a shared computer.
Obviously, this same system will allow you to ban someone from driving your car, or will only allow some users to run for a certain amount of time, with a certain top speed, or it will simply not allow them to drive if they have passengers, there are lots of options here.
