Tesla asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for approval to market a short-range interactive motion-sensing device that could help prevent children from being left behind in hot cars and boost theft-prevention systems, according to Reuters.
All Tesla vehicles have Dog Mode. Dog Mode is a climate control feature that leaves the car's air conditioning or heater on when owners leave their pets in their car. This useful feature can encourage irresponsible parents to leave their children in the car. Despite the fact that Dog Mode has worked well, this behavior of the parents is unacceptable.
Among other things, this is one of the most important reasons why the California company wants to get permission to use unlicensed millimeter-wave sensors that would operate at higher power levels than allowed under existing rules.
Source: Tesla
This device would utilize four transmitter and three receiver antennas driven by a radar front-end unit. According to the company, millimeter-wave radar technology has several advantages over other detection systems. This radar-based system “provides depth perception and can see through soft materials, such as a blanket covering a child in a child restraint.”
This system “can differentiate between a child and an object left on the seat, reducing the likelihood of false alarms” and can detect “micromovements like breathing patterns and heart rates, neither of which can be captured by cameras or in-seat sensors alone." The sensor will also be able to estimate body size to optimize the deployment of the airbag in a collision, depending on whether an adult or a child is seated. This will also allow the vehicle to more accurately determine when to activate the seat belt reminders.
The FCC is seeking public comment on Tesla's request through Sept. 21.
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Article edited by @SmokeyShorts, you can follow him on Twitter
About the Author
Eva Fox
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.
