BMW MOTORRAD INTRODUCES THE BMW IFACE - A FACE RECOGNITION SECURITY SYSTEM
BMW Motorrad, the two-wheeled side of the Bavarian auto giant, will be the first motorcycle manufacturer to introduce a face recognition system to its bikes to help combat theft. The company has developed the BMW iFace system in collaboration with Professor Dr. Dr. Gerhard Lesjöh, the head of the world's leading institute for ophthalmology at the University of Munich. The BMW Motorrad Boxer models are highly popular and sought-after motorcycles worldwide. Unfortunately, they are also frequently targeted by thieves. To tackle this problem, BMW has introduced a system that uses 3D scan and infrared scanning technology for facial recognition and iris-cornea comparison to authenticate the rider. The system is integrated into the TFT display, which isn’t visible from the outside. The rider’s face is scanned three-dimensionally and biometrically using stripe projection technology as soon as the helmet is removed. The 3D image is then compared with a data record stored in the system, and if the calibration is positive, the ignition, steering lock, and other locking functions are released, allowing the rider to start the bike. The BMW iFace system operates as a dual system for maximum authentication, allowing the rider to be authenticated either using face recognition (without a helmet) or by iris-cornea scanning of the eyes. This means that the system can identify the rider even when they are wearing a helmet, as only the iris and cornea are scanned and compared with the data stored in the system.
There’s also a special polarisation filter that allows the scanning process through tinted and mirrored visors, different types of glasses, and contact lenses. The rider enters the type of visor and visual aid they are currently using in the display prior to the scanning process using the corresponding menu functions. If an attempt is made to steal the bike, BMW iFace communicates with the eCall electronic emergency service and the BMW Motorrad call centre receives a corresponding message about the attempted theft via a special code, and the scan data (face or eye scan) and the current geographical position is transmitted to the international central database of the Federal Police authorities. We’re not sure if this will work in SA because our cops don’t answer the phones, for the most part. In the case of theft, the system stores the scan data in the database for possible use at a later date, which is basically a bad big snapshot that enters cyberspace. BMW iFace has been developed and tested in field trials over a period of more than three years, with criminological support from the Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigation and Giovanni Häberle, the owner of a consulting firm for theft and burglary protection in the Stuttgart-Stammheim area. BMW iFace will be presented at one of the autumn motorshows in 2023 and will initially be used on the BMW Motorrad Boxer models. The introduction of this innovative system provides BMW riders with a new level of comfort and safety, allowing them to ride with greater peace of mind knowing that their motorcycle is more secure than ever before.
In the meantime take a look at the YouTube video that shows off the latest of the BMW GS models, the monster BMW R 1250 RS and you'll see why they need new security systems to stop people borrowing them on a non-return basis: The new BMW R 1250 RS | BMW Motorrad
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