Continental in a Jan. 10 press release said it has introduced Face Authentication Display, a two-stage access control system based on biometric user recognition that uses special camera systems mounted externally on the vehicle’s B-pillar and invisibly behind the driver display console. Thanks to biometric face authentication, the vehicle opens and starts up as soon as it detects a registered user. The system reliably detects attempted deception thanks to unique liveness detection from trinamiX, a leading provider of biometric solutions and a subsidiary of BASF SE.
The press release further stated that to not spoil the design of the vehicle interior, Continental has positioned the necessary camera technology behind the driver display console for the first time, which enables a frameless screen surface. The design of the screen area is an evolution of the technology, which won an Innovation Award at CES in 2023.
A camera with biometric authentication in the interior checks whether the person in the driver’s seat is authorized to start the vehicle. Other digital services, such as a payment function, also have this feature. The high-contrast and bright organic light-emitting diode display has been specially adapted so that the optical components can detect people through the pixels of the activated display. In addition, the sensors integrated into the system include the functionality of reliable attention and fatigue detection.
Boris Mergell, head of the User Experience (UX) business area at Continental Automotive, said, “For us, user experience is defined not only by functional and technical aspects, but also by aesthetic appeal. Sophisticated convenience and safety functions — which are not visually noticeable when in use — are a complete success for us in this respect.”
