Technology company, Continental, has shown a new Face Authentication system at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. The new technology makes it possible to unlock and start the vehicle safely and conveniently using biometric facial recognition. 

The biometric user recognition uses special camera systems mounted externally on the vehicle’s B-pillar and invisibly behind the driver display console. Thanks to these the vehicle opens and starts up as soon as it detects a registered user. The system reliably detects attempted deception thanks to unique liveness detection from trinamiX, a leading provider of biometric solutions and a subsidiary of BASF SE.

In order not to spoil the design of the vehicle interior, Continental has positioned the necessary camera technology behind the driver display console for the first time, which enables a frameless screen surface. The design of the screen area is an evolution of the technology, which won an Innovation Award at CES in 2023. A camera with biometric authentication in the interior checks whether the person in the driver’s seat is authorised to start the vehicle. Other digital services, such as a payment function, also have this feature. 

Continental says the special camera integrated into the B-pillar not only checks the visual match with a known user, but also allows for the recognition of real skin. The double authentication in the exterior and interior not only represents a further level of security to protect against theft, but for example, makes the system able to grant all family members access to the car at any time, while preventing children from starting the engine.