LG Electronics said to supply gesture-reading technology for Mercedes

LG Electronics is the supplier for a Mercedes-Benz model that will feature a motion-detection system that can read a driver’s gestures in order to control some automobile functions, people with knowledge of the matter said.

A camera installed in the car ceiling will read the driver’s hand gestures, letting them control tasks such as turning on cruise control and adjusting music volume, Automotive News reads. Ultimately, LG envisions a system that can perform more complex functions such as shifting gears, said the people, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t yet public.

The ability to detect pedestrians and read traffic signs has also been deployed by several automakers; such advanced driver assistance systems are building blocks for fully autonomous vehicles that can fundamentally change the way people ride in cars in the future.

LG is also working on a driver-assistance system, which it aims to supply to Daimler later this year or in early 2020. Delivery was initially set for later this year, but was being delayed because the South Korean company had trouble acquiring the necessary chips, one of the people said.