Wave a hand, turn on radio or make call; New technology to let gestures control functions of car

Drivers have depended on gestures to maneuver through traffic since the dawn of the auto age, from a friendly wave to a shaking fist -- or worse.

Now, automakers are starting to use gestures to let drivers control car functions, whether it's an approaching hand to activate a dashboard infotainment system or the kick of a leg to open a crossover's tailgate.





First is safety. Designers are striving to find ways that drivers can avoid fiddling for buttons, knobs or icons on an electronic display screen as a car barrels down the road at 70 miles an hour. The use of voice commands to change radio stations, phone home or search for an address is becoming common. The ability to wave a hand, rather than having to glance at the dashboard, is considered a natural next step in the war against driver distraction.


Consumers have already seen the potential for motion sensors and gesture control in other aspects of their lives, whether it's outside floodlights that automatically illuminate when a critter prowls the backyard or playing group-oriented video games.




Here's how gesture technology is showing up in cars.

Drowsy driver detection. Lexus has mounted an infrared camera to steering columns of 2013 GS and LS luxury sedans that "maps" drivers' faces, searching for signs they're looking away from the road or falling asleep.

The system works in conjunction with the car's radar to detect another vehicle or object that could mean a crash is imminent. Then, the car automatically brakes and cinches the seat belts to prepare for a collision.


Opening doors. Moms, dads or shoppers can wave ankles under the tailgate of a Ford Escape or C-Max family hauler to get it to open when their arms are filled. Sensors underneath the bumper detect the leg motion.

Ford is looking at the possibility of sun roofs that open or close at a gesture. It makes more sense than voice commands, Ford's Hanna says. "You don't naturally say 'sun roof.' But you will naturally reach for something.




But systems such as CUE can be controversial. Consumer Reports blasted CUE in a blog posting as potentially causing more driver distraction. Because the screen doesn't brighten until your hand gets close, it might be harder to zero in on a particular icon from among many.

Asked this week about gesture technology in a meeting with reporters at the Motor Press Guild in Los Angeles, David Strickland, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says he's aware of Cadillac's system but hasn't seen enough yet to weigh in with an opinion. But he says the agency generally supports new systems that "keep hands on wheel, eyes on road."

With that in mind, Hyundai demonstrated its "3-D gesture" system, a version of which will appear on the HCD-14 concept, which is meant to hint at the future design direction for Hyundai's midsize luxury sedan.


The HCD-14 will have a more sophisticated setup. It will work in a similar way but allow for control of more functions, and it can be used in conjunction with a heads-up display so the driver doesn't have to look down at a dashboard. Settings, as chosen with hand gesture, appear to float above the dashboard.


As is often the case, aftermarket auto purveyors have their own products. Consumer electronics maker Monster offers its own system to let drivers pick music from Apple iPods or iPads, connected by cable in the car, with a hand wave.

The iMotion CarPlay Direct Connect 3000, which went on sale in May for about $120, plugs into both the car's power port, formerly called the cigarette lighter, and the music device. When a driver's hand swipes from left to right about 2 inches from the infrared light on the device, it advances to the next song.

"Let your hands do all the music finding," says Liz Thomas, a mobile products manager for Monster. "It's for that distracted driver. You don't want to have to pick up the device and look at it."


When a finger starts moving toward a dashboard, future cars could use gesture technology to deduce where it's going and try to help the driver by presenting a more simplified display based on the expected action, says Loick Griselain, vice president of driver information products for Johnson Controls. For instance, if a driver reaches out to turn up the heat in the car's cabin, the electronic button could be made to suddenly appear larger as the hand approaches, making the task easier.


