Gesture control in cars is nothing new and has been around for several years. The stereo system in the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti featured a Bose radio with proximity sensing that highlighted certain features when a hand approaches, and the Cadillac CUE system uses a similar sleight-of-hand trick to reduce clutter on the in-dash display.
Wired reported last year that Microsoft (which owns MSN) posted a job listing that hinted at future integration of the company’s Xbox Kinect controller into cars, and that Harman has a concept vehicle with a facial-recognition and gesture-control system that uses nods, winks and hand movements to access certain features. It also noted that BMW and Mercedes-Benz are working on gesture systems.
So a recent patent filing by Google for controlling features inside a car through gestures isn’t exactly groundbreaking. But when you consider that the tech giant has been blazing a trail with autonomous cars, the gesture-control patent makes sense.
The Google system employs an interior roof-mounted camera and laser scanner. To open or close a window, the driver would swipe up and down, while a turning motion would adjust the radio volume or change radio stations or music tracks. In addition to motion, the Google system would also interpret hand signals such as two fingers pointing, a closed fist and a thumbs-up.
While filed patents don’t always lead to a finished product, the move does bring up some interesting questions. For example, how would the system discern between common gestures and hand movements – say, drivers scratching their noses, waving to someone or using another, um, gesture towards fellow motorists – and specific commands?
And if autonomous cars won’t require hands on the wheel at all times, wouldn’t drivers have theirs free to roll down the window or turn up the stereo?
[Source: NBC News]
Source: MSN
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