⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Texting and Driving? Not So Fast -- General Motors is Watching You The automobile company is reportedly installing monitoring devices in its cars to ensure drivers keep their eyes on the road.

By Nina Zipkin

entrepreneur daily

Companies like Tesla and Google have their eyes on self-driving cars. But while humans are still behind the wheel, General Motors is turning to eye-tracking, facial recognition tech to make the streets a bit safer.

The Financial Times reports GM is planning to install machines in about half a million cars that will track drivers' eye and head movements to cut down on distracted and tired driving. GM would be the first automobile maker to include this type of tech on a wide scale.

Related: Pair of Apple Patents Aims to Answer: 'Where'd I Park My Car?'

The tracking devices GM would be using are made by an Australian company called Seeing Machines. In a release today, Seeing Machines announced a partnership with Takata, a Japanese auto safety company, noting "Takata has recently secured a contract to deliver its first ever mass-manufactured implementation of a drive-monitoring system."

Last year, Seeing Machines signed a deal with construction vehicle manufacturer Caterpillar to install systems in 40,000 of the company's mining trucks that sense when drivers aren't looking at the road or are falling asleep at the wheel and alert them with an alarm and a vibrating seat.

Related: Building a Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Network at Age 27

The move comes at a time when both GM and Takata have faced a good deal of scrutiny. Last week, Honda recalled 63,200 cars due to defective Takata air bag inflators, following similiar recalls from Toyota, BMW and GM. GM CEO Mary Barra appeared before Congress this summer in hearings about the company's delayed recall of cars with a faulty ignition switch.

The emphasis on driver safety makes sense, but Seeing Machine's investment in sensing technology that can monitor a driver's vital signs will no doubt raise concerns about privacy.

Seeing Machines and General Motors did not respond to a request for comment.

Related: How $10,000 Can Score You a Self-Driving Car (Sort Of)

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.