Gentex Committed to Bringing In-Vehicle Iris Authentication to Market

On Thursday at CES 2018 two companies announced a partnership to bring iris-scanning technology to the automotive industry.

Fingerprint, a world-leading biometrics company, and Gentex, a leader in digital vision and connected car technology, are partnered to integrate biometric-based driver authentication into vehicles in order to improve vehicle security, cabin personalization, and securely authorize in-vehicle payments, home automation control, and additional cloud-based services.

“Collaboration is key within the automotive ecosystem, and as a leading provider of smart mirrors and automotive electronics, Gentex brings an unmatched platform and vehicle real estate through which we can deploy our ActiveIRIS technology,” said Christian Fredrikson, president and CEO at Fingerprints. “Together, we aim to advance the market for vehicle-integrated biometrics systems that authenticate the driver and deliver custom security, comfort and convenience features. We see a great opportunity for multimode biometry, both locally and in the cloud.”

Locating the iris authentication system in or around the mirror would allow auto manufacturers to offer the solution in varying vehicle trim packages, without requiring substantial redesign of the vehicle’s interior, according to Gentex. For auto manufacturers that use key fobs, or car sharing providers that leverage phone apps to identify the driver, iris recognition could act as a second layer of security, confirming the driver’s identity, with a false acceptance rate as low as one in 10 million.

Upon entering the vehicle, the biometric system would identify the driver with an iris scan, and, if authorized, start the car and personalize setup by automatically adjusting mirrors, steering wheel, seat position, music favorites, GPS locations, and more. ActiveIRIS could also provide an additional layer of security for vehicle-to-home automation services and vehicle-to-infrastructure transactions, according to Gentex.

“The ActiveIRIS system could enable future vehicles to quickly and accurately identify drivers and personalize the in-vehicle experience. It would also enable two-factor authentication, securing and customizing everything from vehicle operation to in-vehicle functions such as speed limiting, geo-fencing, home automation control, toll payments, and in-vehicle transactions,” said Steve Downing, president and CEO of Gentex Corp.

While the first systems are likely to be discretely located inside a Gentex automatic-dimming rearview mirror or related windscreen mount, future systems could be developed in various locations in the vehicle. According to Gentex, this agreement also allows for system integration outside the vehicle, where Fingerprints’ cloud capabilities offerings are an important component for businesses, single-household applications, and unified smart cities.