Cars are encrusted with sensors that scan the surrounding environment and the status of mechanical components, but the electronic gaze is increasingly being turned toward the driver. Driver-monitoring systems are designed not only to prevent distraction from things like phones, but also to ensure drivers are using assistance tech properly. It’s a bit Big Brother, but given the ambiguous nature of current driver-assist tech—where people have to remain alert even when they aren’t actively driving—it’s a necessity.

 

Automotive supplier and contract manufacturer Magna thinks the future of driver monitoring is mirrors that gaze back at you. The company claims its rearview mirror-integrated system can identify distraction more quickly, while providing more flexible packaging for automakers. The driver always has to have the rearview mirror in their line of sight, after all, so that means the RGB-infrared camera mounted in the mirror can always see them. That’s not always the case with current driver-monitoring cameras, typically mounted in the instrument cluster or on top of the steering column, which can get blocked by the wheel or a driver’s hands.