Access System With Biometric Elements For Vehicles

Arm up, thumbs down - the car lights flash, the doors unlock. What classic car owners still know is alien to the driver of modern cars: Today, doors are no longer opened with a key, but wirelessly at the push of a button.

But modern access systems can do much more than just unlock the vehicle doors or start the engine. The keyless access control and start system from Continental (Passive Start and Entry) shows how intelligent the solutions are today. By combining the system with elements from biometrics, it offers new possibilities in the field of personalization and authentication in the vehicle.

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Like a kind of bouncer

“With the integration of biometric elements, our expertise in the area of ​​system integration comes into its own. Because we link our access control solution with other intelligent systems in the vehicle to provide drivers with added comfort and security,”explains Andreas Wolf, Head of Continental's Body & Security division. "The access system also works as a kind of doorman, because we can control components precisely when they are needed so that they do not have to run continuously - this saves energy and increases efficiency."

Depending on the configuration of the system, the automobile manufacturer can use biometrics to add another level of security to the vehicle, according to Continental. Then, for example, when starting the engine, it would no longer be sufficient to have a valid key in the vehicle interior - the driver would only be able to start his car with confirmed authentication using a fingerprint sensor. This so-called 2-factor authentication significantly increases the theft protection of the vehicle.

Individual comfort

In addition, biometric elements enable real vehicle customization. The system can be linked to an interior camera that recognizes the driver's face. This information can be used to call up vehicle settings such as seat and mirror position, music playlists, temperature or navigation stored for the respective driver.

The intelligent glass from Continental can also be integrated into the keyless access control and start system: If the driver comes close to the vehicle with the key, the windows automatically light up. As soon as he sits in his vehicle, he can also gradually darken or lighten almost all of the windows in the vehicle at the push of a button. And thanks to the integration of Intelligent Glass Control in the vehicle's electronic communication system, the glass adapts dynamically to a wide variety of traffic situations. For example, networking with light sensors ensures that the glass darkens exactly where the sun is.

Works with different technologies

The company emphasizes that the solution from Continental is not limited to certain film types, but can control various technologies such as SPD (suspended particle device), EC (electrochromy) or PDLC (polymer dispersed liquid crystal).

The biometry system is similarly flexible: According to Continental, it can be integrated into all intelligent systems, regardless of which access technology is used in the vehicle (Bluetooth Low Energy or Low Frequency).

In view of these developments, future motorists should shrug their shoulders at the sight of a remote control in use today: when they only have to approach a car in order to be recognized and admitted by it as an authorized driver. (jv)