Will a car one day be able to discern whether its owner is stressed, tired, or ill and act accordingly? This is what LG’s latest “AI In-Vehicle Experience” is able to do, and it is quickly reaching the level of potential success that LG announced at the CES show.
At the heart of this technology is the LG’s Vision AI technology. This technology uses a deep learning program capable of analyzing and understanding complex visual as well as biometric data in a matter of time. Two other subsystems called the Driver Monitoring System (DMS) and the Driver and Interior Monitoring System (DIMS) are also linked into the technology to evaluate the status of the driver as well as the entire interior of the vehicle. The DMS technology deals with the biological and psychological state of the driver by monitoring the heartbeat as well as identifying the facial expressions of the driver to establish if the driver feels drowsiness or annoyance, among other feelings. The DIMS technology also identifies the interior space of the entire vehicle based on recognition of the occupancy status as well as the behavior and status of the space.
The relevance of this integrated process can be well understood in the scenario of overall development in automobile safety technology. Conventional DMS systems were only meant to provide cam feeds and processing algorithms in earlier times. But with the development of AI and IoT technology in this sector, these systems have become Active Safety Systems. This has occurred because these newly developed systems employ sensor fusion Technology, which combines infrared cameras with driver input in terms of Acceleration sensing through Accelerometers, Torque sensing through Steering Torque Sensors, and Biometric input. The process related to detecting early stages of drowsiness or inattentiveness in drivers employs either Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) related to facial landmark detection or micro-expression detection or Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) to analyze temporal aspects related to driving.
However, LG has a good point regarding their solution, as it is relevant to the scenario. The current generation of IMS solutions is moving on from focusing on drivers to encompass all passengers, and this is driven by new Euro NCAP regulations on occupant monitoring systems. Nevertheless, some technical constraints apply when it comes to occupant sensing. There is a requirement to have technology that uses a camera, as well as a radar and thermal camera solution, that even works as a low-power solution when it comes to detecting intruders when a car is parked.
The aspect of emotional intelligence that LG has managed to integrate in their Vision AI technology is a new development. The technology is able to learn from approaches that have been embedded in Cerence Control Center projects and is capable of leveraging paralinguistic factors such as tone, pitch, and speech to infer the emotional state that the driver might be in. Today, the kind of emotional intelligence interfaces have the potential to integrate with voice assistants in the future to create a natural way of communication that will instill trust in semi-autonomous and autonomous technologies.
Another aspect that could be explored in biometric tracking is the LG’s cabin AI technology and other technologies in the cabin. The internet of things technology employed in wearable BIOT and in-seat sensors may provide a means to continuously monitor information regarding heart rate variability, oxygen levels, and stress patterns in this technology. This aspect could be specifically useful in preventing accidents caused by sudden health conditions in passengers, which is being investigated in the use of far-infrared cameras to analyze body temperature variation patterns to infer modifying health patterns. In the very beginning stages of development in the LG’s R&D efforts, BIOT technology may complement LG’s Vision AI solutions in the LG’s cabin technologies effectively.
Fleet managers and the whole transportation business will be greatly affected here. The need to enable a DMS & IMS system means a capability to relay information regarding the condition of the drivers to cloud-based interfaces that may utilize a protective scheduling system to protect against the dangers of drivers experiencing fatigue. It may help optimize the route in accordance with the levels of alertness of the drivers, while further increasing compliance with regulations regarding the violation of the Hours of Service regulation. This technology has overall beneficial effects on sustainability in vehicles because it allows drivers to be advised to follow fuel-saving procedures and help minimize CO2 emissions discharged into the atmosphere.
LG’s vision is to merge Affectionate Intelligence presented in this case with Edge-AI technology to provide faster-than-human computation abilities, in addition to Multi-modal Sensor Fusion technology to deliver comprehensive and comprehensive situational awareness. By integrating this technology in a car’s interior space, LG is creating something much better than a straightforward improvement in car safety it’s a space in which technology interacts in a way that’s intelligent and human.
