Eye-tracking technology has been making its way into cars as a safety feature for years, especially with the rise of driver-assistance software. Now Bosch thinks the technology could offer other benefits, too, and it's showcasing two scenarios this week at CES 2024 in Las Vegas.
The first scenario is very simple (and very European): you are driving home and the car recognizes that you are drowsy. The car asks, "Would you like an espresso when you get home?" You say "yes," and when you walk in the door, your shiny Bosch (or other brand) connected automatic espresso machine is ready for you to enjoy.
The other scenario is much more complicated: while driving, eye-tracking technology can be used to figure out what points of interest you are focusing on, and the car can provide relevant information. It might prompt you with the opening hours of a nearby restaurant, or tell you the history of a castle on the horizon (again, European style).
These are perfect half-baked CES ideas because they make some intuitive sense on the surface but start to fall apart upon closer inspection. Presumably, if someone is drowsy while driving home, it's most likely at night, which may not be the best time to drink strong coffee. Quickly triangulating which store or landmark a person is looking at based on their flickering gaze while driving on the highway sounds tricky enough.
Sometimes advanced technology is introduced into cars for important but mundane reasons, only to lead to other possibilities. But the key lies in how you use it in the end.
Since Bosch is just a supplier here, it's up to the automaker to decide if, and more importantly, how to implement these ideas. Bosch's proposal is just a starting point, and it's not hard to see how the big automakers might take the technology in different directions. For example, if eye-tracking point-of-interest systems were actually built, wouldn't it be tempting for carmakers to try to use the information to sell advertising?
Stefan Buerkle, president of Bosch Americas, pointed out in an interview that "pushing ads into cars is exactly the opposite of reducing driver distraction," but he did not rule out this possibility. Ultimately, it sounds like he thinks the trade-off might be worth it if the system actually does what it's supposed to do, as it could potentially help reduce cell phone use in the car.
"Today, people expect answers immediately, especially when it comes to information. If I'm in the car and I want to get that information and I don't get it from the car, I'm going to pick up my phone," he said.