Car technology has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years, bringing us ever closer to the day when we no longer need to drive ourselves. Features like electric windows, keyless ignition, and heated seats have almost become standard on many models. As car companies continue their race to the top with ever more advanced features, Volvo’s new one could bring a doctor with you on the road–virtually, of course.
Though the idea hasn’t been implemented just yet, the company wants to put biometric cameras in each one of their cars in order to try and figure out when health emergencies might occur. This not only makes the road safer for all drivers, but could be useful for preventing cases from becoming more drastic due to lack of care. With the biometric technology, the cameras would even be able to measure a person’s glucose levels based on scanning their eyes.
There are more benefits than just being aware of oncoming emergencies. The manufacturers want a device that can even understand when the driver is under stress, which would then trigger a series of conditions to reduce the stress, such as changing the temperature or the music. Most importantly, however, the camera’s will include a drowsiness monitor. What the car would then do with that information is still unclear.
Some passengers may worry about the privacy of the data that would be collected by the biometric cameras, but to alleviate some of the fears, Volvo has decided that at least for the time being, the cameras are an optional feature. They’ve been working on the technology in conjunction with their driverless car program. Once people are free from driving themselves, the company wonders if the biometric cameras can eventually be used for things like video conferencing, which could be an interesting way to take up a commute when driving is no longer the primary activity.