Biometrics could create personal profiles and enhanced mobility experience

Biometric authentication like fingerprint scanners are already made its way into the automotive access system sector. Other biometric applications such as facial recognition, voice recognition, heartbeat and even palm vein authentication are also garnering huge traction as technology gets ever more sophisticated. The automotive industry currently is on the rapid brink of transformation. Recent technological advances and the advent of Industry 4.0 have fundamentally transformed the automobile from physical to virtual experience.

Since the popularity of mobile devices, the mobility industry has been seen tremendous advances. Biometric access in the industry is significantly inevitable for vehicle security. Besides, there is a growing number and variety of biometric applications. Biosensors that detect the presence or concentration of a biological analyte, have the potential to create personal profiles that will adjust the car environment as per the drivers' preferences and passengers. Lighting, temperature, and sounds are some variables that could be controlled instantly.

Mobility Experience Driven by Biometrics

While the development of biometrics in automotive has been growing exponentially, there are a growing number companies implementing this tech. From the ability to use voice control to activate navigation and infotainment systems or access a vehicle are some widespread features of biometrics in mobility ecosystem.

Automobile manufacturer Chrysler, for instance, is developing a solution that will recognise the driver's face to tailor seat position, music station, diary and other settings tuned to personal preferences. On the other side, automaker giant BMW also deploys Nuance Communications technology that identifies voices and selects the source of music from that person's voice, while Panasonic is working on a 'Living Space' vehicle, which will transform into adaptive space that meets the passenger's needs from relaxation zone to an entertainment centre.

Ford is another company that is harnessing the power of biometrics. The company is experimenting with health and wellness applications to provide drivers with more information and control over wellbeing by performing full-body scans and storing and analysing data on a daily basis. Nissan, on the other side, introduced auto safety of the future. The technology named brain-to-vehicle promises to offer the world’s first system for real-time detection and analysis of brain activity relating to driving. This happens by assisting a driver to keep their car under more control.

Biometric technology has a lot of applications that are expected to grow in the coming years. According to Baudouin Genouville, Suprema’s Business Development Director for EMEA, previously, biometrics were used for access control only to a small extent. They were only protecting the cash rooms and the R&D centres where there is some very specific knowledge. Now, this technology is gaining more popularity as more and more companies using biometrics as a main technology for identification and opening doors.