Cabin Awareness ensures that no hidden adults, children or pets are left in the vehicle. It uses millimeter wave radar for motion detection and smart connection technology to notify the wearer.
The 4D radar can detect people and some pets in the car even when they are sleeping or hiding under the covers. Installed above the headliner, the device can detect micro-motions, such as heartbeat and breathing, in all rows of the car, in the luggage compartment and in the footwell. Based on the person’s size, posture and position, the system classifies them as adults, children or pets and eliminates false warnings.
The device offers several alert options. First a warning signal appears on the instrument panel, then a horn sounds and the emergency lights flash. If the driver leaves the vehicle and does not respond, the system automatically sends a text message to his smartphone, can also be programmed to notify emergency contacts, such as family or friends, or send an alarm to emergency services via Toyota Safety Connect.
Cabin Awareness is currently being tested in real-world conditions and the plan is to roll out the service as early as 2023.
Death from heat stroke is a serious problem: In 2021, in the US alone (where such statistics are kept), 23 children died after being left in a car. Depending on the circumstances, the temperature in the passenger compartment can reach 50°C within minutes, even if the outside temperature of the car is only 15°C, and children’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than that of adults.
Collage “Behind the wheel”