Mitsubishi Electric’s new automotive in-cabin system, Mitsubishi Electric FLEXConnect, will be powered by BlackBerry IVY. An edge-to-cloud vehicle data platform, it will use an array of sensor data to anticipate safety risks, reduce driver distractions and highlight potential driving hazards.

The platform core of Mitsubishi Electric FLEXConnect is its driver monitoring system (DMS) and occupant monitoring system (OMS). BlackBerry IVY will enable the platform to extract and analyse data from internal and external sensors. It employs machine learning to process data collected at the vehicle edge compute node.

BlackBerry IVY will support features in the Mitsubishi Electric FLEXConnect platform such as determining driver distraction and concentration levels. It will detect signs of drowsiness, estimate cognitive load and monitor interaction with the infotainment system. It will also use biometric information to provide insight into short- and long-term changes to a driver’s physical status, such as health, triggering autonomous pullovers and alerts to emergency services.

The new system will also analyse facial features to create personalised identification profiles for automated verification to enable vehicle access and in-car payments, and correlate user preferences with environmental information, such as suggesting optimal parking locations based on preferences for cost, distance from destination, parking format and availability.

“The collaboration between Mitsubishi Electric and BlackBerry to advance our in-cabin system takes the driving experience to the next level by truly going the extra mile,” said Mark Rakoski, VP Advanced Engineering at Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America. “With its advanced safety features, intuitive interface, and enhanced sensory feedback, Mitsubishi Electric FLEXConnect establishes a new cabin experience standard, revolutionising the way we interact with vehicles. With BlackBerry IVY, we’re able to bring innovations like this to market faster, and in full confidence that the security and privacy of user data is protected.”

“We are delighted that Mitsubishi Electric has selected BlackBerry to power its new in-vehicle system,” said Vito Giallorenzo, SVP General Manager of IVY and Head of Corporate Development at Blackberry. “By leveraging BlackBerry IVY as a key component of its FLEXConnect platform, Mitsubishi Electric raises the bar for in-cabin experiences and helps improve road safety. BlackBerry IVY is unique in how it enables automotive OEMs to leverage a multitude of vehicle signal data in real-time and cost effectively into valuable insights.”