Drivers to open cars with a selfie as new technology saves motorists hassle of finding keys
Details of the technology have been revealed in a recently published patent application
MOTORISTS could soon unlock the doors of their cars with a selfie.
Jaguar Land Rover has developed technology that uses facial recognition and gait analysis to identify drivers.
Cameras mounted under the windows capture video and photos of people as they approach and these are compared with images stored on its computer.
If they match, the car will unlock and open the doors.
The design could save drivers the hassle of having to carry and find their keys – and make it easier if they are laden with bags of shopping.
Details of the technology have been revealed in a recently published patent application.
The patent says: “The user of the vehicle must carry out a registration process which requires them to record a still image of their face and a moving image such as a hand gesture or their gait as they approach the vehicle.”
Using video footage and gait recognition ensures thieves cannot fool the system by holding up photographs of the owner that they have printed out.
The technology allows several people to register with the same car, so friends and family can unlock and drive it when necessary.
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Jaguar Land Rover uses advanced cameras that create a 3D image, allowing the car to estimate how far a person is from the vehicle and better analyse their movement.
The patent hints that future Jaguars and Land Rovers may come without door handles, with different hand gestures signalling which door to open.
It adds: “If the vehicle is sold, the stored images can be removed and new authorised image identifiers stored instead.
“The vehicle doors may be controlled independently of one another or may be controlled as a single unit.
“The moving image may be a gesture, such as a hand wave, a salute or another hand signal which the user makes on approach to or arrival at the vehicle.
“A still more sophisticated embodiment may use discrimination between different gestures to unlock different doors of the vehicles.”
Combining the system with a wireless key fob would increase security further.
Two cameras will be fixed on each side of the vehicle and angled so they capture the walk of those who approach from the front or behind.
A photo will also be taken when the user stands next to the car.
Jaguar Land Rover refused to comment, saying it does not discuss future technology publicly.