With the shift towards electric vehicles, end-users are becoming less concerned about traditional differentiators like engine horsepower and are placing greater emphasis on smart interior functions, writes Yulin Wang, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx This trend is compelling automotive OEMs to invest more efforts in enhancing interior features, thereby adding greater value to their products and distinguishing them from other vehicles.
Driven by regulations such as Euro NCAP, driver monitoring systems (DMS) have gained significant traction and have transitioned from a luxury feature to a new norm. As of 2024, most DMS utilize 2D near-infrared (NIR) cameras. Due to their relatively low costs, they are anticipated to be increasingly adopted, emerging as the dominant enabling technology for DMS. For automotive OEMs to further set themselves apart from competitors, advanced features such as gesture control, child presence detection, and seat belt detection are also expected to gain momentum, especially in mid to high-end vehicles. Currently, the 3D time-of-flight camera stands out as the most widely used technology for DMS, while some automotive OEMs, such as Volvo and Tesla, are incorporating in-cabin radar modules.
Radar has played an important role in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for over two decades. Utilizing radio waves with a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) coding system, radars can accurately measure the distance and relative velocity of objects within their field of view. However, historically, radar modules have predominantly been employed for exterior sensing rather than interior applications.
As of 2023, according to Tesla's website, the in-cabin radar operates within a frequency range of 60GHz to 64GHz, falling within the license-free ISM band. The detection distance of these radar modules typically ranges from 0.4 meters to 2 meters, effectively covering the interior space. Though unconfirmed officially by Tesla, recent news suggests that their cybertruck is equipped with in-cabin radar modules for occupant monitoring, including functions such as child presence detection and seat belt reminders.