Latest news with #SeeingMachines
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Driver safety AI tech firm Seeing Machines boosted by Mitsubishi deal
London-listed driver safety tech firm Seeing Machines has agreed a collaboration with Mitsubishi's European division to grow sales across the continent. The computer vision technology firm said its Guardian Generation 3 driver monitoring system will be used in Mitsubishi's logistics, distribution and maintenance fleet. It also wants to take advantage of the 'extensive direct relationships' Mitsubishi has with truck and bus equipment manufacturers to promote the system. The tie-up comes as car manufacturers seek to abide by the European Union's new Vehicle General Safety Regulations (GSR). Described as a 'vaccine for vehicles', the GSR requires all new motors to have certain safety features, including an emergency stop signal and systems monitoring blind spots and tyre pressure. Seeing Machines claims that Guardian, which tracks a driver's eye movements using sensors and cameras, helps lower the threat of drowsy driving in commercial vehicles by over 94 per cent. New agreement: Seeing Machines has forged a collaboration with Mitsubishi's European division to grow sales across Europe If significantly adopted, Guardian could help the EU achieve its goals of saving over 25,000 lives and avoiding at least 140,000 serious injuries across the bloc by 2038. 'We're delighted to partner with Seeing Machines to support the expansion of their world-class safety technology across Europe,' said Rob Noon, automotive business unit president at Mitsubishi Electric Europe. 'This agreement reflects our shared commitment to reducing transport risk, and we're proud to support Seeing Machines in scaling its impact across a range of transportation industries.' The announcement follows just a few days after Mitsubishi's American arm revealed it had begun a six-week pilot of the Guardian technology, having initially made a referral agreement with Seeing Machines in February, Paul McGlone, chief executive of Seeing Machines, said: 'Our relationship with already delivering positive results, as demonstrated by the strong progress we have made in the Americas and the near-term opportunities it's creating. 'Mitsubishi Electric Europe's world-leading, proven reputation and established relationships position them as an ideal partner to bring our Guardian technology to new customers across the region as regulatory deadlines take effect.' Headquartered in Canberra, Australia, Seeing Machines has also collaborated with prominent companies such as General Motors, Daimler, Transport for London, and flagship airlines Qantas and Emirates. In the first three months of 2025, the group's technology was in over 3.2 million units, a 77 per cent year-on-year increase. Over the same period, production of new vehicles equipped with its driver monitoring technology was up by over a third from the previous quarter to 358,162 units. The firm further declared on Monday that it had renewed its distributor agreement with Connect Source, Australia's largest distributor of Guardian. Seeing Machines shares were 3.2 per cent up at 2.9p on Monday morning, although their value has shrunk by around 38 per cent over the past year.
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Wire
Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America Launches Guardian Generation 3 Trial with Seeing Machines in North America
MASON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Inc. (MEAA) is proud to announce the launch of a six-week pilot for the class-leading Guardian Generation 3 aftermarket solution with our North American team. This initiative marks a significant step forward in our collaboration with Seeing Machines Limited, the advanced computer vision technology company renowned for its AI-powered operator monitoring systems designed to improve transport safety. Our collaboration with Seeing Machines began with a Referral Agreement in February, aimed at accelerating sales of Guardian Generation 3 in the Americas by leveraging MEAA's extensive customer relationships in the region. The joint pursuit of business has already generated a steady pipeline of opportunities, and this first pilot with our U.S.-based team is a direct result of that agreement, demonstrating the incremental potential that this relationship can bring to the direct sales efforts by both organizations. Masahiro Kaji, President & CEO of MEAA, commented: 'This collaboration with Seeing Machines marks a significant step forward in our commitment to enhancing vehicle safety through advanced technology. The synergy between our teams has been remarkable, enabling us to initiate the Guardian Generation 3 pilot with our North American team within the first few months of our agreement. This rapid progress underscores our shared dedication to innovation and excellence. We are excited about the potential this relationship holds and look forward to achieving groundbreaking results together in the coming months.' Paul McGlone, CEO of Seeing Machines, added: 'We are delighted to see our team working so well with the team at MEAA as we look to leverage their relationships and customer base to accelerate sales in the region. The launch of this pilot, which comes not long after the start of our collaboration, reconfirms our joint conviction and opens a promising path to Aftermarket sales and overall success in the Americas. Our experienced team are working closely with the team at MEAA to leverage relationships alongside telematics and safety system expertise to make things happen fast. It's a positive sign to have a Mitsubishi Electric Corporation company engaging with Guardian Generation 3 through a trial, and we're optimistic about where this could lead. The connected vehicle market in the US is significant and highly competitive and I believe that working with MEAA represents our best chance for success. In fact, this is just one of several trials we are currently running in the region, representing a total near-term market opportunity of over 18,000 vehicles across a range of transport and logistics companies.' For more information on Guardian Generation 3 and MEAA's agreement with Seeing Machines, contact info@ About Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Inc. (MEAA) Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Inc. was established in 1979 to serve the North American automotive, heavy-duty truck and coach business. Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America offers a wide range of products and services, including passenger entertainment systems, car navigation systems, screens, head units, amplifiers, and powertrain products such as starters and alternators. Additional information is available at
Techday NZ
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Techday NZ
Seeing Machines wins USD $1.2m deal for driver monitoring tech
Seeing Machines has signed a USD $1.2 million agreement to supply guardian backup-driver monitoring systems to a major North American autonomous driving company. The company's Guardian Backup-driver Monitoring Systems (BdMS) will be deployed into test vehicles as the autonomous mobility firm extends its activities across additional locations and sites. Developing autonomous vehicle technology requires significant levels of data collection, validation and on-road testing. During this period of trialling on public roads, the need for a human backup driver remains standard practice, as a safeguard against risk and to ensure compliance with safety regulations. Seeing Machines' BdMS has been designed to assist backup drivers in maintaining vigilance while these autonomous vehicles are in operation, with the aim of bolstering overall road safety during the transition period toward fully automated systems. Integration of autonomous vehicle technology into ride-hailing operations is expected to change the landscape of urban transportation. These systems have been associated with the possibility of improved efficiency, lowering operating costs, and creating more accessible transport options, especially in densely populated areas. By automating driving tasks and monitoring systems, the intent is also to mitigate accidents linked to human error. Industry role Seeing Machines has outlined its role as a supplier of monitoring technology to support human drivers in test vehicles for autonomous ride-hailing fleets. This monitoring capability is considered crucial to both the development and acceptance of autonomous mobility services, as it aims to provide an additional layer of reliability and oversight as the industry transitions from driver-operated vehicles to fully autonomous models. "We are proud to continue working with this important customer, who shares our passion for road safety, as they continue to develop their technology and frankly, lead the evolution of the autonomous vehicle landscape. Around the world, regulators and automakers understand that driver and occupant monitoring technology will bridge the gap between the vehicles of today, where the driver is still in control, and the fully autonomous cars of tomorrow. It's excellent to see our technology, designed purely to keep road users safe, helping to shape this shift in transportation." The above was stated by Paul McGlone, Chief Executive Officer of Seeing Machines. Safety technology Seeing Machines' Guardian BdMS is part of a suite of technologies developed to analyse driver behaviour. The technology monitors where a driver is looking, measures their cognitive state, and evaluates the risk of distraction or drowsiness. Such analytics are currently employed across several transport sectors, including automotive, commercial fleets, off-road and aviation applications. The use of these systems is intended to enhance the overall safety envelope for vehicles in the autonomous testing phase, where human oversight is still mandated. Both regulators and manufacturers are observing the deployment of these solutions as a means of ensuring safe operation during the intermediary period before driverless vehicle operation is fully approved. The financial arrangement, valued at USD $1.2 million, is expected to facilitate the rollout of additional monitoring systems across the autonomous company's test vehicle fleet, supporting expansion into new regions and scenarios. The contract underscores ongoing industry partnership in the area of technology for road safety and compliance. Seeing Machines is based in Australia and supplies monitoring technology to a range of industries globally, including customers operating in North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Follow us on: Share on:
Telegraph
13-04-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Fed up with annoying touchscreens? Manufacturers are having second thoughts too
While modern cars feature a wealth of safety and infotainment features, drivers frequently find them annoying and distracting. Might the solution be for car makers to pay more heed to the human factor; the needs of the driver? Dr Mike Lenné is chief safety officer at Seeing Machines, which specialises in driver monitoring technology designed to spot driver distraction. As a former Prof in Human Factors at Monash University's Accident Research Centre, he's also a renowned advocate of human factors research in automotive and is in no doubt: 'It is 'the' silver bullet,' he says. Lenné explains: 'Human factors by definition is a profession that seeks to understand people, their abilities and limitations, and to incorporate that knowledge into the design of products they use and the environment in which they use them. So it's critical.' A perfect example of what happens when car makers fail to take account of human factors is best demonstrated by the prevalence of increasingly complicated touchscreen systems on dashboards, which can be difficult to use and distracting for drivers. This was recently shown in a comprehensive test conducted by Auto Express on 10 of the most popular systems, to rate the worst and best performers (see table below). In-depth touchscreen test It simulated urban driving conditions at a test track using three drivers with varying levels of touchscreen experience. Each completed an identical route in 10 cars, while performing five common touchscreen tasks: Turning off lane keep assist Activating navigation to 'home' Raising the interior temperature by two degrees Switching on heated seats Tuning the radio to BBC Radio 4 An Auto Express judge sat beside each driver to record the times taken for each task, which were averaged out to provide a single task time for each car. An 'undistracted' lap time was set in advance at 2 minutes 22 seconds. Then each driver followed the same route in all 10 cars while performing the tasks. It's probably no coincidence that the top three places in the test were occupied by car makers that appear to take human factors very seriously and consequently provide less annoying technology than many rivals. Clear winner Skoda came top in the test with the Skoda Navigation in a Superb. Auto Express praised its 'huge, sharp touchscreen, intuitive infotainment system and brilliant 'Smart Dials'', noting that: 'At a time when most manufacturers are doing away with physical buttons and switches for the sake of minimalist interior design, and in certain cases to cut costs, Skoda has not only kept them but added more functionality to create the Superb's aptly named 'Smart Dials'.' A spokesperson for Skoda explained how it uses human factors: 'User experience (UX) research helps us understand the users' behaviour when interacting with displays or handling control buttons. Currently, UX research is one of the cornerstones of customer centricity. We take many different aspects into account, such as cognitive load, data analytics, possible distraction or the level of overall convenience and satisfaction of the entire user experience.' Similarly, BMW Group (owner of Mini) confirms that it also uses human factors research. 'It is a multi-step process that is continually refined until the customer is satisfied. We adhere to the highest standard for human-centred design for interactive systems and we have a dedicated in-house team here at BMW Group who lead this.' How users are affected Given the annoyance and distraction caused by increasingly complicated touchscreen systems crammed into dashboards, it's disappointing that many other makers have failed to adequately assess how their technology affects users. Yet, perhaps we shouldn't be so surprised, as car makers struggle to please different generations of drivers while also wanting to keep costs down and use legacy solutions. Paul Barker, editor of Auto Express, clearly identifies cost savings as the prime reason for poorly designed touchscreen systems: 'By combining myriad manual controls into a single digital system perched atop your dashboard, car makers are able to reduce time and money spent on design, development, manufacture and assembly, making significant savings across the board.' Impact on sales Nor is it only there that drivers suffer annoying tech, as Lenné warns: 'It's about time the industry acknowledged what's going on. With interior sensing technology, the level of driver interaction skyrockets, as does the importance of great design. Taking shortcuts and developing systems that beep and bop enough to pass regulatory tests is not passing the driver acceptance tests, we are seeing that already, and it's only a matter of time before poor acceptance impacts sales.' Still, the tide may be turning. Recently Volkswagen confirmed that it was bringing back physical buttons for the most-used functions following customer feedback. A spokesperson claims: 'Volkswagen believes the user experience should be as simple and useful as possible, while incorporating the most exciting, cutting-edge technology that our customers have a right to expect. It's about evolving cars through continual improvement in order to meet ever-changing demands.' 'In terms of road safety, car manufacturers need to get the balance right between information overload and minimalism,' stresses Edmund King, president of the AA. 'Cars need to be intuitive for all drivers so they can concentrate on the road ahead rather than the screen to the side.' Back to physical buttons Fortunately, drivers won't have to rely solely on the common sense of manufacturers, since independent car safety body The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), which carries out the industry-standard crash tests, is also addressing how poor design may lead to distraction, as part of its 2026 protocols. From 1 Jan 2026, vehicles without physical 'hard' buttons or switches for the indicators, hazard lights, horn, windscreen wipers and SOS function will receive lower marks in crash tests. As Richard Schram, technical director at Euro NCAP, points out: 'We want to avoid distraction by design. Poor vehicle controls will distract you and, with driver monitoring mandatory, even warn you when you are trying to control your vehicle. We do not claim that we know the best controls design, but we want to break this trend. Luckily, this is heavily supported by consumers themselves.' Ultimately, reducing the incidence of annoying car tech will also require the human factor experts within car producers to be listened to: people such as Dr Lee Skrypchuk, senior technical specialist – human machine interface at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), whose self-declared aim is 'to ensure that technology enhances rather than overwhelms the driving experience'. Skrypchuk is convincing when he states: 'Driving is one of the most safety-critical tasks people perform, with user expectations shaped by the simplicity and responsiveness of today's technology. Effective design requires a careful balance of the environment, user capabilities and task demands.' One can only hope that the accountants will permit human factors experts to eradicate poorly designed automotive technology long before it has an opportunity to further annoy and distract drivers.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America Signs Agreement with Seeing Machines to Promote Guardian Generation 3 Driver Monitoring Technology Across the Americas
Guardian Generation 3 aftermarket system uses advanced computer monitoring technology to track signs of driver distraction and drowsiness MASON, Ohio, March 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Inc. (MEAA), a leader in advanced automotive electrical and electronic systems, today announced it has signed a Referral Agreement with Seeing Machines Limited to promote Seeing Machines' Guardian Generation 3 driver monitoring solution across the Americas. This collaboration marks a significant step to enhance road safety by expanding the reach of Guardian Generation 3, an AI-powered system designed to detect and mitigate driver distraction and fatigue in commercial vehicles. Following Mitsubishi Electric Mobility Corporation's strategic investment in Seeing Machines in December 2024, this agreement leverages MEAA's extensive aftermarket distribution network and customer relationships in the transport and logistics industries. Guardian Generation 3 is an aftermarket driver monitoring system (DMS) that uses advanced computer monitoring technology to track signs of distraction and drowsiness in real time. The system alerts drivers locally through visible and audible warnings, as well as haptic feedback via a vibration unit installed under the seat. In critical situations, the technology goes a step further—capturing event-based footage and transmitting it to a live monitoring center, where trained analysts can intervene within seconds by contacting fleet managers or designated personnel. Unlike continuously monitored in-cab cameras, Guardian only records when a safety event is detected, addressing privacy concerns while providing fleets with crucial risk mitigation data. This agreement with Seeing Machines aligns with our purpose to provide cutting-edge technologies that support safer, more efficient commercial vehicle operations," said Masahiro Kaji, President and CEO of MEAA. "Guardian Generation 3 is a game-changer in driver monitoring. By utilizing our well-established distribution network, we are excited to bring this solution to fleet operators across the Americas. We believe the more Guardian units there are on the roads, the safer they will be for everyone." With increasing global regulations on driver monitoring technology, like those mandated in the European Union, Guardian Generation 3 is well-positioned as a proactive solution for fleets across the Americas looking to enhance safety, reduce liability, and improve operational efficiency. Guardian Generation 3 will be showcased at MEAA's booth (#938) at the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting March 10-13 in Nashville, Tenn., providing attendees with an opportunity to see the technology in action. For more information on Guardian Generation 3 and MEAA's agreement with Seeing Machines, contact info@ About Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Inc. (MEAA) Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Inc. was established in 1979 to serve the North American automotive, heavy-duty truck and coach business. Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America offers a wide range of products and services, including passenger entertainment systems, car navigation systems, screens, head units, amplifiers, and powertrain products such as starters and alternators. Additional information is available at About Mitsubishi Electric Corporation With more than 100 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. Mitsubishi Electric enriches society with technology in the spirit of its "Changes for the Better." The company recorded a revenue of 5,257.9 billion yen (U.S.$ 34.8 billion*) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. For more information, please visit *U.S. dollar amounts are translated from yen at the rate of \151=U.S.$1, the approximate rate on the Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2024 View source version on Contacts John Tewsjtews@ (248) 320-3814 (cell) Sign in to access your portfolio
