Tesla Asks FCC To Approve In-Vehicle Radar System That Could Detect Children Left In Dangerously Hot Cars

Tesla Inc TSLA asked the Federal Communications Commission for approval of a motion-sensing device that could prevent children from being left inside hot vehicles, Reuters reported Thursday.

What Happened

The automaker’s short-range interactive motion-sensing device uses unlicensed millimeter-wave sensors, which work at higher power levels than currently allowed, according to Reuters.

The Elon Musk-led company claims that the device based on radar technology has advantages over other systems including camera-based ones as it can perceive depth.

The system can “differentiate between a child and an object left on the seat, reducing the likelihood of false alarms,” Tesla stated. The company says the device can also detect micromovements like breathing patterns and heart rates.

Additionally, radar imaging can supposedly assess body size to optimize airbag deployment in the event of a crash.

Why It Matters

52 children died as a result of being left in hot cars in 2019, while 18 have died so far this year, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The FCC has invited public comments on Tesla’s request through Sept. 21, Reuters noted.

The California-based automaker reportedly told the FCC that the latter approved a similar request from Alphabet Inc’s GOOGL GOOG subsidiary Google related to a device that operates identically.

Automotive supplier Valeo SA’s VLEEF North America unit approached the FCC for its monitoring device that also detects children left in cars.

Price Action

Tesla shares closed nearly 6.6% higher at $2,001.83 on Thursday and rose almost 0.4% in the after-hours session.