Continental develops advanced child-presence detection system

Technology company Continental has expanded its digital access system CoSmA by a Child-Presence-Detection function (CPD) for even more passenger safety.

In case of left-behind children in the car, every minute counts. Given outdoor temperatures of 30deg Celsius, vehicles reach for children live-threatening temperatures of 46deg within just half an hour, as emphasised by research of the University of Georgia. As a consequence, nearly 40 children in the US die from heat strokes in the car annually, according to the National Security Council.

Continental’s Child Presence Detection function uses ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to prevent such tragedies in the future. It detects a child in the cabin and sends out a warning within seconds. The CPD function also addresses vehicle manufacturer’s needs to meet in-cabin safety targets in view of the upcoming Euro NCAP safety rating and US regulations, which are driving for new child safety requirements in the vehicle by 2025.  

“We were first to market with the ultra-wideband for digital vehicle access. We are now using this technology to save lives by detecting left-behind children in a vehicle. With this approach we are also increasing value for our customers”, says Jean-Francois Tarabbia, head of the business area Architecture and Networking at Continental. 

Ultra-wideband: Detecting even the tiniest motion 

CPD is seamlessly embedded into the already existing CoSmA UWB Digital Access Solution, which enables drivers to use their smartphone as a car key for hands-free access.

To be able to detect children who were left behind, the UWB system is working in a so-called reflective-mode. Thereby, it receives its own transmitted UWB signals back from micro motions of an object. By detecting a change in frequency or phase of a returned signal, distance and the velocity of the moving target can be measured. Even the tiniest motion like the movement of a child’s chest while breathing can be detected by the sensors. 

Based on unique respiration rates and micro-body-movements, the CPD with UWB system can classify passengers as infants, children or adults. If children are left behind in the car, the CPD system can send an audible, visual or haptic alert to the driver after 10 seconds at the latest. UWB-based CPD is also able to detect infants and children in any seating position, no matter if they are covered by a blanket or stay hidden in the cabin-footwell.