Mitsubishi Electric unveils the EMIRAI S Concept Cabin

The EMIRAI S will be exhibited during 46th Tokyo Motor Show 2019.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation unveiled its EMIRAI S concept car equipped with cutting-edge technologies, such as an innovative human-machine interface and biological-sensing technologies, which are expected to contribute to safe and secure transportation as well as enhanced passenger communication in the upcoming mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) society.

In the coming MaaS society, cars will evolve beyond mere transportation to provide mobility that enables passengers to use their traveling time more effectively. Under the theme of “Mobility for better days”, Mitsubishi Electric developed the EMIRAI S to introduce technologies and solutions that contribute to the emerging MaaS society. The “S” in EMIRAI S stands for “shared”, “service” and “safety”, because the vehicle is equipped with cutting-edge technologies, such as an innovative human-machine interface for enhanced communication both inside and outside the vehicle, and biological-sensing technologies for safe driving.

Changes in skin brightness due to variance in blood flow are used to measure heart rates. The DMS enables contactless heart-rate sensing by detecting changes in skin brightness in near-infrared camera images. The DMS also has a robust face tracking function to track eyes, nose and mouth motions under a variety of lighting conditions.

Also, human body surface temperatures are measured with a thermal sensor. By analysing heart rate and body temperatures, the system can identify the physical conditions of the driver and passengers. For example, if the system detects driver fatigue, drowsiness or sudden sickness, it can make the interior more comfortable by adjusting air conditioning, lighting and/or sounds.

A wide-angle near-infrared camera and array microphones are installed on the upper edge of a small display. By analysing the positions and motions of the speaker's mouth in near-infrared camera images and voice information detected with the array microphones, the system can recognise each speaker's position and speech timing with high accuracy.

Each voice can be distinguished even in noisy environments, such as when the vehicle is in motion. Furthermore, EMIRAI S uses speech-separation technology not only to recognise commands from each speaker but also to respond to these commands. The commands and the responses are shown on a wide touch-display installed on an interior side panel to enhance communication between passengers.

The wide crossed-image display , which combines a half mirror with a diagonal LCD panel, combines floating 3D images and holographic visual effects to enhance the visibility of a wide variety of information from connected services. A ring-shaped knob on a display located on the side of the steering wheel functions as a controller to simplify various operations thanks to its innovative GUIs. Changes in electrostatic capacity on the display then analyse the movement of the knob. The knob's thin frame accommodates a large inner-display area for better visibility.