Analog Devices (ADI), a global semiconductor leader, is taking a full-scale step toward enhancing automotive driving safety through advanced ADAS combined with artificial intelligence (AI)-based software.

Analog Devices (ADI) announced today that it is partnering with Seeing Machines (LSE:SEE) to support high-performance driver and occupant monitoring system (DMS/OMS) technology.

Seeing Machines is a cutting-edge computer vision technology company that designs artificial intelligence (AI)-based driver monitoring systems to enhance driving safety.

This collaboration combines ADI's advanced infrared drivers and high-speed Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link™ (GMSL) camera connectivity solutions with Seeing Machines' artificial intelligence DMS and OMS software to enable a robust gaze, eyelid, head and body posture tracking system that more accurately monitors driver fatigue and distraction.

This combined solution comfortably meets the European Commission's General Safety Regulation (GSR) and European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) requirements.

It also helps enable future occupant monitoring capabilities and a variety of in-cabin camera placement options that were previously unavailable due to issues with power efficiency, functional safety, hardware space, and image quality.br />
The semi-autonomous driving system uses the indoor DMS and OMS to recognize and respond to driver fatigue and decreased attention.

These systems must operate in any lighting environment and require adequate infrared illumination to ensure frame-by-frame image quality required for real-time eye tracking.

The combined solution from ADI and Seeing Machines leverages ADI's industry-first infrared drivers for DMS and OMS, delivering up to 100W of peak power in a compact and functionally safe solution.

These characteristics allow for smaller camera modules to be installed without interfering with the vehicle's interior structure.

Seeing Machines' AI software interprets signals from the optical hardware, monitors and diagnoses problems, and, if necessary, can activate output signals in conjunction with ADAS functions to alert drivers and passengers.

“Seeing Machines is developing technology to get people home safely, and our goal with ADI is to support an enhanced level of safety for semi-autonomous driving, delivering what we call ‘supervised automation,’” said Nick DiFiore, SVP and GM Automotive at Seeing Machines. “ADI’s proven automotive-grade near-infrared drivers and GMSL devices provide the critical illumination and high-speed video bandwidth for realistic, real-time processing of the vehicle’s cabin environment through sophisticated optical signal paths.”

“Vehicle cabin monitoring is a very complex design, requiring a combination of infrared illumination, image capture, and data processing to achieve real-time response,” said Yin Wu, director of automotive product line management at Analog Devices.“We must pay special attention to integrating the Lee and algorithm layers,” he said. “Together with Seeing Machines, we are supporting the automotive industry with practical solutions that contribute to avoiding collisions and saving lives.”