Biometric Vehicle Ignition With Color Status Indication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Totally electric vehicles face issues with excessive energy consumption and unclear ignition states due to automatic activation upon key detection, leading to unnecessary wear and difficulty in determining vehicle readiness for drivers accustomed to traditional key cycles.

Innovation Solution

A luminous device integrated with biometric detection, allowing powertrain activation only upon authorized driver recognition, eliminating the need for simultaneous brake pedal pressing and providing visual ignition status through color changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If automatic activation upon key detection is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but energy consumption increases and reliability deteriorates due to inability to switch off when driver is inside

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses biometric detection to provide feedback about the driver's presence and authorization status. The control unit continuously monitors biometric data and automatically adjusts powertrain activation state based on this feedback, enabling the vehicle to switch off when the driver is present but unauthorized or when no driver is detected, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle system automatically manages its own powertrain activation state based on biometric detection without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by detecting the driver's presence and authorization status, then autonomously deciding whether to activate or deactivate the powertrain, eliminating the need for the driver to manually switch the vehicle on or off

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If automatic activation upon key detection is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional biometric detection systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The biometric detection device serves multiple functions: it detects the driver's presence, verifies authorization status, and provides input for powertrain activation control. By making the biometric detection system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each function, thereby managing device complexity while improving ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the biometric detection function with the existing key detection and powertrain control systems. Instead of adding completely separate systems, the biometric detection is integrated into the existing vehicle access and ignition control architecture, merging multiple functions into a unified system that improves ease of operation without proportionally increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Use of energy by moving object

If manual ignition button is added, then energy consumption is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates and information clarity worsens due to silence of electric vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The biometric detection system provides immediate feedback to the driver about authorization status and powertrain activation state. When the driver approaches or enters the vehicle, the system detects biometric data and provides feedback through the control unit, clearly indicating whether the powertrain is activated or can be activated, eliminating the ambiguity that occurs with silent electric vehicles and manual ignition buttons

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4365038B1Biometrical device for turning on a road vehicle and relative road vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 FERRARI SPA
  • EP4365038B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4365038B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4365038B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Road vehicle (1) comprising an ignition system (6) for the powertrain system (5) comprising in turn a luminous device (7) integral with the passenger compartment (3) of the road vehicle (1) and comprising a biometric detector (8) configured to enable the system (6) to identify, by means of biometric readings, a driver entitled to drive the vehicle (1) to switch from an off configuration to an on configuration of the road vehicle (1) and vice versa; the luminous device (7) comprising a display device (27) configured to at least partially assume a first colour and a second colour; wherein the display device (27) is configured to switch from the first colour to the second colour when the movable part (9) switches from the off configuration to the on configuration and vice versa when the movable part (9) switches from the on configuration to the off configuration.