Breakthrough In-Cabin Solution: Occupancy Status, Possible from Rear-View Mirror

As in cabin driver monitoring systems are on the rise, with worldwide regulatory bodies modifying the legislation to address this vital safety feature, we looked further envisioning what the tomorrow’s driving experience could look like if occupants benefitted from similar attention. This year, we released Occupancy Status, a breakthrough in-cabin solution that works from the car’s rear-view mirror.  

Previously, sensing all the occupants – driver and passengers – with a single camera (rear-view mirror) was thought impossible. We made the impossible possible when creating a solution that could bypass the issues created by the mirror’s angle. 

Occupancy Status is one of the core technologies of DTS AutoSense and the one which allows the detection and tracking of occupants despite the rear-view mirror not facing them frontally.  

To achieve this industry-first, we worked with a convolutional neural network, as well as body, and face sensors for real time detection, reporting and actualization. We coupled that data with 3D space positioning and lens correction, with various camera sensors (RGB, IR), making sure it can easily and equally leverage a single or cumulated RGB-NIR stream. 

The complexity of the problem required rigorous testing, where we considered evaluation contexts, specific scenarios, poses or occlusions. We demonstrated our Occupancy Status viability by considering a variety of factors, from cabin size and form to day vs night light and including high occlusion rates. Occupancy Status performed well for the safety standards the automotive industry imposes.  

The solution is already available for partner evaluation and our patent is under review. We see Occupancy Status as part of a holistic in-cabin sensing approach that can shape the future of the industry.  

By constantly researching, testing, and creating groundbreaking in-cabin technologies, we can define the ICM space and bring about a future of vehicles where efficiency, performance and sustainability are key. OEMs can eliminate potential problems from their roadmaps by finding cost-effective, fast, and fail-proof solutions ahead of time, enabling them to be game-changers.  

Occupancy Status is our ICM solution for custom driving experiences which give occupants the freedom to be themselves in the car just as they are at home. A personalized driving experience is one that offers customization at sound and light level, but can also enable custom seat adjustments or even empower passengers to enjoy personalized content by understanding their id, location, behavior and activity.   

As technology leaders, we expect Occupancy Status to be the real time, neural, camera-agnostic, innovative solution to help OEMs bring a new era in automotive.  

Szabolcs Fulop started his work in the computer vision domain 17 years ago, he spent more than a decade designing microchips for digital cameras and various mobile devices. For the last 6 years he is working to bring all his imaging and chip design know how in the in-cabin sensing space. He spends most of his time innovating, fusing technologies and sensors, managing a group of very talented researchers, who develops the technology that will enable extraordinary experiences that customers are looking for. He is convinced that on our roads, more and more cars will appear, carrying the technology developed by him and his team.