Murata Commercializes Japan’s First In-Vehicle Child Presence Detection System Using Wi-Fi Sensing

09/07/2024

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
President: Norio Nakajima

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Murata”) has successfully commercialized a new in-vehicle Child Presence Detection system utilizing Wi-Fi Sensing technology (hereinafter “the product”). The product’s first application deployed on June 3, 2024, on the kindergarten bus in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture.

In recent years, incidents of children dying after being left behind in vehicles have become a serious problem, necessitating urgent solutions to prevent such tragedies. Child Presence Detection features are now included in the evaluation criteria of automobile assessment organizations in various regions worldwide. Legal regulations are also being strengthened in many countries, and the issue is being discussed as a critical global challenge. To tackle this societal problem, Murata has been developing a solution leveraging its proprietary technologies based on the knowledge it has cultivated in the communications field.

The product detects the presence of children by using Wi-Fi signals to sense even the slightest movements from children. Since it utilizes changes in signal reflections, it can detect a child even in situations where visual confirmation is difficult, such as when a child is covered with a blanket or lying on the floor.

In developing this product, Murata utilized its highly reliable Wi-Fi modules optimized for automotive use along with Origin AI™’s proprietary technology that enables Wi-Fi signals to be used as sensors. The child detection system can be implemented by simply installing Origin AI™’s software on a car navigation system or TCU, as the product can utilize the Wi-Fi system in either device.

Detection mechanism

Since December 2022, Murata has been conducting tests in collaboration with Yasu City to verify whether the product can detect children left behind without fail, even in the large interior spaces of the kindergarten bus.

After completing the verification tests, official operation on the Yasu City kindergarten bus began on June 3, 2024. Detection starts after the bus engine is turned off. If a child left behind on the bus is detected, an alarm installed on the bus is activated and a notification is sent to the kindergarten’s smartphones. The product is installed on the Yasu City kindergarten bus and will be operated to prevent children from being left behind in the future.

Murata will continue working to address societal issues by providing innovative solutions utilizing its proprietary technologies.

■Related Site

Wi-Fi ® sensing for child presence detection(CPD) | Solution | Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.