Cabin Awareness is designed to prevent any passenger from being left inside a vehicle, whether it’s a child, an adult, or a pet. It uses millimeter-wave radar to detect motion and smart connection technology to alert the wearer when something is detected inside the cabin.
The 4D radar system can identify people and some pets in a car even if they are sleeping or tucked under blankets. Mounted above the headliner, it senses micro-motions such as heartbeat and breathing in every row, in the trunk area, and in the footwell. By assessing a person’s size, posture, and position, the system categorizes occupants as adults, children, or pets and reduces false alarms.
When an occupant is detected, several alert options are available. An initial warning appears on the instrument panel, followed by an audible horn and flashing emergency lights. If the driver leaves the vehicle and does not respond, the system automatically sends a text to the driver’s smartphone. It can also be configured to notify emergency contacts, or to relay an alarm to emergency services via Toyota Safety Connect.
Cabin Awareness is currently undergoing real-world testing with a rollout plan that anticipates broad availability in the near future.
Heat-related deaths are a serious concern. In the United States, 23 children died in 2021 after being left inside parked cars. With even moderate outside temperatures, the interior of a vehicle can reach dangerous levels within minutes, and a young child’s body temperature rises much faster than that of an adult. This underscores the critical need for reliable occupant-detection technology in vehicles used across Canada and the United States.
Collage “Behind the wheel”