“The company is evidently keen to get consumers familiar with this kind of biometric technology as smart and connected cars get an increasing number of sophisticated IT components.”

Biometric driver authentication will be among the technologies showcased by Gentex at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, the company has announced. The system revolves around iris recognition, with a sensor unit built into the car’s interior mirror, and capable of identifying the driver without any need for physical contact.

It’s the same concept showcased by Gentex at last year’s CES, and at the CES before that. The company is evidently keen to get consumers familiar with this kind of biometric technology as smart and connected cars get an increasing number of sophisticated IT components.

But Gentex will also be showing off a new smart car solution: a smoke and vape detection system, which the company describes as a first for the automotive industry. In a statement announcing its CES plans, Gentex asserted that it’s already “working with an autonomous vehicle manufacturer to fine tune the system, which consists of a sensing unit placed within the vehicle’s ductwork where it continuously samples the air quality.”

Other technologies that Gentex plans to showcase at CES, meanwhile, will also be return appearances. These include Gentex’s intelligent rearview mirror system – back with new features including infrared illumination and touchscreen-based camera adjustment – as well as its dimmable glass technology and its HomeLink car-to-home communications system.