Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Hyundai Mobis develops smart in-vehicle lighting system
A promotional image of Hyundai Mobis’ in-vehicle smart lighting system / Courtesy of Hyundai Mobis
By Lee Min-hyung
Hyundai Mobis has developed a smart in-vehicle lighting system that helps to reduce drivers' stress and as well as ultraviolet disinfection, the auto parts maker said Wednesday.
The so-called human-centric interior system generates a total of 32 different patterns reacting to drivers’ biorhythms, health conditions and the external environment, according to the Hyundai affiliate. The company said that the system interacts with the driver by changing its colors, brightness and patterns in real time.
The smart lighting system was developed to maximize customers’ in-vehicle experience amid a rapid paradigm shift toward future mobility centered around electric vehicles and autonomous driving, the company said.
Hyundai Mobis converged its core technologies for the development of the system. They include eye-tracking and biometric control technologies.
The system can analyze a driver's heartbeat and eye blinking and calculate their stress levels while on the road. It then displays relevant colors to show the driver's condition. For instance, if their stress level is high, the system emits a red light.
It also helps the driver maintain biorhythms at a stable level by displaying different colors, depending on changes in the external environment, such as weather. The company conducted multilateral collaboration with research organizations and experts to match the best color patterns for drivers based on their biorhythms.
“The function and purpose of the in-vehicle lighting system are being developed in a way to support people’s health, safety and convenience,” said Lee Hyun-woo, senior vice president of the firm’s module business unit. “We will keep securing state-of-the-art solutions specifically designed for future mobility.”
The latest development can be seen as part of Hyundai Mobis’ efforts to turn itself into a total mobility solutions provider by blending its hardware-focused expertise with software-centric new technologies, according to the company.
The system has yet to be commercialized, but the company plans to launch it on the market soon.