Hyundai Mobis unveils new in-cabin monitoring system to enhance safety

Hyundai Mobis has developed technology capable of detecting posture (position), actions and bio-signals to assess the safety of passengers in the car, both in the front and rear seats. It is expected to prevent careless driving behaviour such as drowsy driving and mobile phone use and even check that children in the rear are properly secured in their car seats, helping to reduce accidents.

Hyundai Mobis will begin full-scale efforts to take orders from global clients for this new technology named In-Cabin Monitoring System (ICM) starting this year.

The In-Cabin Monitoring System consists of cameras (hardware) that monitor passengers and software logic that analyzes data. First, the camera installed in the vehicle detects posture and position of passengers and their bio-signals in real time.

The software logic, then analyzes data from the camera to determine potential risks and alert passengers with audio and visual warnings. For instance, it can alert the driver when they close their eyes and doze off and suggest that they better take a break. More than 10 scenarios have been developed in which the system can help prevent safety accidents including using mobile or smoking while driving, taking hands off the steering wheel, not wearing the seatbelt, and leaving young children unattended in the rear seat.

Hyundai Mobis states that it has obtained ASPICE certification, the European standard for automotive software through the development of this system, and it has also reportedly exceeded the goal set under NCAP (New Car Assessment Program). 

Targeting European automakers 
With the pre-release of its In-Cabin Monitoring System targeting European automakers, Hyundai Mobis is ramping up its efforts to secure orders. According to a global research firm, the driver monitoring system (DMS) using camera is growing rapidly with an annual growth of nearly 40 percent.

As DMS becomes mandatory in advanced markets with strict safety standards, including Europe, passenger safety technologies are becoming increasingly important, particularly in the high-class automotive market.

This In-Cabin Monitoring System of Hyundai Mobis is said to outperform those of its competitors. At the recent CES, competitors showcased similar systems, but Hyundai Mobis went ahead of them and completed development, and it is now pursuing orders as its system is ready for mass production.

During the development of its In-Cabin Monitoring System, Hyundai Mobis has put focus on software logic. And this year, it plans to enhance healthcare feature for analysis of the driver’s bio-signals and accelerate the development of a new next-generation technology (2.0 version) targeting commercial fleet services. 

“With the advancement of automatic driving technology, the demand for in-vehicle convenience features and safety technologies is greatly increasing. Hyundai Mobis will focus on developing highly accurate software capable of analyzing different physical structures of each passenger,” said Shin Kyu-chul, the Leader of Electronic Control Development Group, Hyundai Mobis.

Conventional in-cabin sensing systems have distinguished the driver’s seat and the rear seats, and used different advanced technologies in the driver’s seat for the safety of passengers. Hyundai Mobis’ ICM combines multiple technologies into one system to ensure the safety of all passengers in the vehicle.

In 2019, Hyundai Mobis succeeded in developing DMS that tracks the driver’s pupil to prevent drowsy or careless driving. In 2020, it followed up with the development of the rear seat monitoring system using the radar to prevent children from being left unattended in the rear seat, and in 2022, it successfully developed the driver assistance system that detects the driver’s posture and bio-signals including heart rate.

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