Magna Safety Systems Give Parents "Eyes in the Back of Their Heads"

March 21, 2017

Jennifer Shuttleworth

A video-based child-monitoring system from Magna International provides parents with an extra set of eyes to increase safety for drivers and passengers. It is based on the company's EYERIS camera technologies.

If you ask most parents, they'll tell you an extra set of eyes would generally come in very handy—especially when driving. Magna International Inc. now provides parents with that extra set of eyes by way of a video-based child-monitoring system—what the company claims is an industry-first feature—to increase safety for drivers and passengers based on Magna's EYERIS camera technologies.

The child-monitoring feature offered by the company who develops driver-assistance systems provides front passengers with a clear, undistorted view of the backseat area on a display screen. A digital, megapixel camera located over the rear seat provides parents and other caregivers a top-down view of children in the rear seats. Even at low-light or dark conditions, passengers are illuminated by an infrared LED light and can clearly be seen on the screen.

"The in-cabin child-monitoring feature is a great example of how Magna applies technology to meet the needs of specific lifestyles and vehicles—in this case it's families with children and minivans," said Swamy Kotagiri, Magna's Chief Technology Officer and President of Magna Electronics. "With today's drivers facing more distractions than ever, our goal is to continue to develop new driver-assistance features to enhance vehicle functionality, improve safety and provide peace of mind."

The system debuted on a new minivan at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In addition, the minivan includes an EYERIS rearview camera, which assists the driver while reversing the vehicle. Rearview cameras will become mandatory in the United States for all light-passenger vehicles in 2018.