The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. The increasing prevalence of self-driving cars has led to a growing demand for safe methods of driver authentication and vehicle access control. Compared to conventional authentication techniques like keys and passwords, biometric authentication has several advantages since it is harder to forge or compromise. Recent advancements in biometric technology have resulted in increased affordability, accuracy, and ease of use. Because of this, automakers can now include biometric authentication into their cars without compromising on efficiency or price. One of the most popular forms of biometric authentication found in cars is fingerprint scanners. With just a single touch, drivers may unlock and start their cars thanks to these devices, which are usually built into the door handle or steering wheel. The automotive industry is utilizing vital signs monitoring, facial recognition, iris scanning, and fingerprint scanning technologies to enhance driver biometric authentication. These technologies use sensors to monitor vital signs, analyze the driver’s face, and compare their face to a stored template. As these technologies become more affordable, they are expected to be integrated into more vehicles in the future. In the last three years alone, there have been over 1.7 million patents filed and granted in the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Cybersecurity in automotive: driver biometric authentication. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over one million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the automotive industry, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Driver biometric authentication is a key innovation area in cybersecurity
Driver biometric authentication involves the use of biometric data such as facial recognition, fingerprints, and voice recognition to verify the identity of a driver and allow access to a vehicle or certain functions within the vehicle. The biometric data is unique to each driver and provides a more secure and convenient alternative to traditional methods of authentication such as keys or passwords.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 30+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of driver biometric authentication.
Key players in driver biometric authentication – a disruptive innovation in the automotive industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to driver biometric authentication
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Apple is one of the leading patent filers in driver biometric authentication. According to a patent filing from Apple, drivers may be able to unlock their cars using Face ID or Touch ID. When the driver approaches the car, the car will signal their smartphone. After that, the driver would use the mobile device to verify their identification before being allowed to enter the vehicle. Samsung Group and Visa are some of the other key patent filers in driver biometric authentication.
In terms of application diversity, Tesseract Health leads the pack, while Baidu and Qualcomm stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Tesseract Health held the top position, followed by Apple and Nok Nok Labs.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Cybersecurity in Automotive.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
