Seeing Machines teams with TK Holdings on driver-monitoring

Responding to potential product opportunities from numerous global automotive manufacturers, Australian company Seeing Machines is to partner with TK Holdings, the US subsidiary of Takata in a 15 year strategic alliance on driver monitoring technology.
September 3, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

Responding to potential product opportunities from numerous global automotive manufacturers, Australian company 7861 Seeing Machines is to partner with TK Holdings, the US subsidiary of Takata in a 15 year strategic alliance on driver monitoring technology.

The companies have been collaboratively developing driver monitoring technology for two years and Takata has recently secured a contract, said to be with General Motors, to deliver its first ever mass-manufactured implementation of a driver-monitoring system that will warn drivers of lapses in attention.

The Seeing Machines’ operator monitoring system is based on patented eye-tracking technology that uses sensing equipment that requires no re-calibration between different drivers, while tracking head alignment for potential distraction of the driver.

Seeing Machines’ automated fatigue monitoring systems, which monitor fatigue and alert both the operators and their employers when the system detects distraction, have already been implemented in 5551 Caterpillar mining machines and are being trialled by European coach and tour operator Royal Beuk.

“Eye and head tracking technology is the next step in automotive safety, which we expect to play a significant role in the reduction of one of the greatest causes of accidents: driver distraction,” said Ken Kroeger, CEO of Seeing Machines. “We strongly believe that the addition of driver monitoring to ADAS will deliver a significant improvement to the safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.”

Location Based Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • With C-ITS we can get ourselves connected
    June 27, 2025
    Workzones need to be safer for drivers and workers – and the technology exists to harmonise safety with mobility needs, says Swarco’s Daniel Lenczowski
    Read More
  • Don’t drive drunk – or use a hands-free phone
    August 29, 2019
    Despite law changes, drivers’ bad habits have been creeping back in. TRL’s Dr Shaun Helman tells Adam Hill why using a phone at the wheel is just as distracting as driving after a few drinks esearch from as far back as 2002 (see box) suggests that driving while making a phone call – either hands-free or holding a handset to your ear – creates the same amount of distraction as being drunk behind the wheel. While it is notoriously hard to predict how alcohol will affect an individual (due to the speed of
    Read More
  • Robotic Research: harnessing AV potential
    June 10, 2021
    Robotic Research is leading in AV R&D, from work with the US Army to enabling the first automated BRT line in North America: Gordon Feller assesses what the company is doing
    Read More
  • When speed compliance becomes a safety issue
    March 29, 2017
    David Crawford finds that softly, softly can be safely, safely when it comes to speed enforcement. Comedians and controversial TV presenters have long made jokes about having to watch the speedometer so closely as they pass speed camera after speed camera that they mow down bus queues. But the joke may have some factual basis according to a study by researchers from the University of Western Australia.
    Read More

Highlighted Content