Measuring a 'Driver’s eye Activity and State of Mind' - HARMAN Automotive's Robert Kempf on Ready Care Solution

Driver drowsiness and distraction are leading causes of crashes and fatalities on the roads. But measuring actual driver engagement remains a major challenge for the automotive industry. HARMAN, a Samsung company, has recently introduced Ready Care, a set of solutions designed to improve safety and reduce driver stress.

Auto Futures caught up with Robert Kempf, Senior Vice President, Sales and Business Development, SBU ADAS at HARMAN Automotive.

"With Ready Care, we can address two challenges in the market, which is safety and wellbeing for the driver and passengers," says Kempf.

HARMAN Ready Care combines machine learning algorithms and selected in-vehicle sensors to detect the driver state and cognitive load in real-time to identify when potential distractions arise.

"It is the only solution offering 'Eyes and Mind on Road' measurement with a closed-loop approach that then initiates in-vehicle responses to mitigate safety risks and enhance wellbeing," he says.

It's actually a set of solutions — Cognitive Distraction, Stress-Free Routing, and Personalised Comfort — that can work together or independently. It leverages devices, such as cameras, that have been mandated for driver distraction and attention warnings in Europe.

Kempf explains how it works. 

"An infra-red global shutter camera with active illumination surveys the driver’s face in all light conditions to provide real-time data into facial expressions, eye gaze, eyelid openings, and more. Our predictive AI solution collects data from the sensors and assesses it based on insights from neuroscience."

To enhance the predictive model and measurement accuracy, HARMAN collaborates with a team of neuroscientists from Samsung Health. Through this collaboration, Ready Care can access vital-sign and stress sensing data from smart mobile devices, like the Samsung Watch, and associated mobile apps for stress and sleep profiles of the driver, However,  the driver needs to give consent to such data sharing through an opt-in model.

"Building on these measured parameters for stress, drowsiness or visual or cognitive distraction, the system can generate customised in-vehicle cabin prompts to trigger a range of behavioural responses - increasing awareness, alleviating stress, or stimulating relief," says Kempf.

"One example of such a customised intervention is Stress-free Routing, which can provide an alternate route selection to lower elevated driver stress levels while on the road. Through detecting real-time stress factors like traffic jams or weather and adapting the suggested route accordingly, this solution helps mitigate the driver’s state of stress or anxiety," he adds.

Affordable In-Cabin Sensing

Major OEMs can use Ready Care to create their own safety solutions.

"Consumers want additional safety and wellbeing experience in their car; maybe even have their car become part of their digital health measurement and wellbeing eco system. Because Ready Care is able to measure both eyes and mind on the road, OEMs can get a more robust assessment of driver state and trigger intervention strategies to alert the drivers, get them to refocus, or take appropriate action to avoid potentially dangerous situations early," says Kempf.

In the context of safety, OEMs are looking for robust and affordable in-cabin sensing safety features.

"Ready Care is a scalable product offering with features and technology that can be combined into customised sets that align with model and trim levels, and can even be designed to reinforce or differentiate a carmaker’s brand. It can comprise anywhere from the full system (ECU plus sensor plus software) to sensor plus software to software (feature only) or managed service application," he says.

Creating Personalised Comfort

HARMAN is collaborating with the US automotive technology company Gentherm to incorporate its thermal management technology into the well-being and alertness features of Ready Care.

"Built as an open platform, our solution can easily accommodate new and extended features and functions from HARMAN, the carmaker and third-party suppliers. For example, working together with Gentherm, we can allow Ready Care to be fully functional and compatible with Gentherm’s ClimateSense solution, which uses localised convective and conductive heating and cooling solutions, plus radiative heating to create personalised comfort," explains Kempf.

Ready Care can initiate multiple and simultaneous in-cabin vehicle responses for customised and personalised intervention.

"Potential responses could range from simple audio or visual prompts to influencing HVAC settings, audio settings, vehicle lighting, and more or interventions that work in conjunction with ADAS features."

Driving the Change

As well as developing new products and services, HARMAN itself is transforming its business operations to reflect the automotive industry's ongoing transformation.

"We are clearly at a turning point for all the players in the market and a paradigm shift is inevitable. We see that the value chain itself is being disrupted by the increased entry of SoC vendors, OEMs looking for in-sourcing and ‘Big Tech’ players trying to get a larger piece of the pie; meanwhile, Tier 1s are all trying to adapt themselves and their roles within the industry," says Kempf.

"Megatrends like electrification and the consumerisation of automotive are turning the traditional ways of considering and engaging with cars inside out, as car shoppers are choosing new vehicles less on factors like engine power and more based on the experiences available to them during their time in the car. There is an incredible opportunity to drive this change in the industry and to bring consumer electronics-level connectivity, content and features into the car in the form of experiences and at the speed and cadence of consumer electronics, which can drive brand differentiation, loyalty and engagement in new ways," he adds.

"However, it requires us to rethink ourselves. Therefore, at HARMAN, we are transforming our operations to pursue two business models in parallel: our traditional ‘Project’ model, which we will serve for growing the hardware-plus and services business via RFx and SOW business models together with our automotive customers, i.e., the carmakers. As well as our new ‘Product’ business, which is going to provide our consumer experience products at automotive grade under the HARMAN 'Ready’ product line to our industry customers and, ultimately, to end consumers," concludes Kempf.