Skip to main content

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.”

Related Content

  • TRL: In-vehicle tech is developing – but the driver isn’t
    August 19, 2019
    The evidence base for distracted driving has failed to keep up with technological developments, argue TRL’s Neale Kinnear and Paul Jackson. New research is urgently needed
  • Machine vision develops closer traffic ties
    January 11, 2013
    Specifiers and buyers of camera technology in the transportation sector know what they need and are seeking innovative solutions. Over the following pages, Jason Barnes examines the latest developments with experts on machine vision technology. Transplanting the very high-performance camera technology used in machine vision from tightly controlled production management environments into those where highly variable conditions are common requires some careful thinking and not a little additional effort. Mach
  • ITS technology reduces congestion, improves workzone safety
    July 17, 2012
    As the road-building season gets under way in the US, the Federal Highway Administration has just published a White Paper which deals with the use of ITS technology in work zones. On 30 April 2009, the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a White Paper which was prepared by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to inform public agencies about the use of ITS to manage construction work zones. This is a particularly relevant topic given the large number of construction projects that are ex
  • Pioneering sensors collect weather data from moving vehicles
    January 20, 2012
    ITS International contributing editor David Crawford foresees the vehicle as 'sentinel being'