British luxury carmaker Jaguar, who just unveiled their first-ever electric car, might have just patented the "selfie". Well, not really the "selfie", but a new technology that uses facial recognition to unlock their cars. Jaguar's goal is to make their cars more secure and more convenient in case motorist lose or leave their keys behind.
How It Works
The car will be having two cameras on each side that are angled so it can detect when someone is approaching from either the front or back. The cameras will then capture photos and take videos simultaneously when someone is walking towards or just standing by the car. If the face of the owner that is saved on the computer matches, then it will unlock the car for them.
In order for those to work, the car owner would undergo a patented registration process that will require them to have a still image of their face captured, and video recording of a hand gesture or their manner of walking. The second photo of them just standing beside the car will also be taken and saved on the cars computer. This patent would still work with wireless key fobs for added security.
This is a remarkable new technology, as it will give car owners a feeling of security. Another advantage is that car owners no longer need to put aside their belongings such as grocery bags when entering their vehicle. And they no longer need to look through a ton of stuff in case they accidentally drop their key fob inside their suitcase.
In addition, the system could also learn to recognize several users, like family members, so other occupants do not need to always wait for the owner in order to gain entry to the car. The owner will also have the freedom to remove data from other users that he does not want to allow access whenever he is not around.
How Secure Is It
Like any new technology, concerned citizens, and car owners cannot help but to critic. How accurate the cars computer is a question that needs to be answered. Even with the ability to still use key fobs, the driver or car owner might accidentally leave it inside, leaving them with only the facial recognition or video to unlock the car. The car might not recognize the owner, which would, in turn, be more of a hassle. Another concern is that what if the car unlocks by scanning someone that might have similar features to the owner, leaving the car vulnerable to theft, or even car napping at worse. It is also not clear yet how well the technology will work in low light situations or during nighttime.
However safe, Jaguar stated, "it is an ongoing challenge for the automotive industry to improve vehicle functionality to further enhance the sophisticated feel of the vehicles at minimum cost". Jaguar truly believes that this new technology will change the way companies secure their cars in the future and hoping that car owners can finally be more confident whenever leaving the car in an unknown location.
