Jaguar files face and gait recognition system patent for vehicle entry

Luxury car manufacturer Jaguar is working on a facial and gait recognition system for vehicle owners to unlock their cars, enhancing the development of “vehicle personalisation”, according to a patent filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office last month.

JaguarCameras located on the driver’s door below the window line would take a static image of the driver’s face, as well as a moving image of his or her gait or walking style, or another physical characteristic such as a hand gesture.

A driver would register their biometric details when first taking ownership of the car, and these details would be referred to each time they approach the vehicle.

The patent application also says a key fob identification module could be included in combination to “provide a more robust and higher security door access system”.

Sophisticated challenge

“It is an ongoing challenge of the automotive industry to improve vehicle functionality and design and to further enhance the sophisticated feel of vehicles, without significant additional cost,” Jaguar says.

“In particular, vehicle personalisation, where vehicle functions and features can be aligned with specific user requirements, is an increasingly common aim. As far as door entry is concerned, such systems must also be robust against misuse, for example theft or loss of a key fob, so that vehicle security is maintained.

“The present invention has been devised with a view to addressing these concerns.”

Earlier this month, a report by Frost & Sullivan’s Intelligent Mobility team predicted one in three new cars will feature some form of biometric feature by 2025.

Advancements in biometrics are set to “radically transform the driving experience, health wellness and wellbeing, and security of vehicles”, the reports adds.

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