Teslas might get a sensor that detects a child left in a hot car

Tesla is working on a sensor that could detect a child being left in hot car, Reuters reported Thursday.

The automaker asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve a short-range millimeter-wave sensor, that would operate at a higher power than is currently allowed. The device would have seven antennas (three for receiving and four for transmitting signal) and a radar front-end unit, and would be able to "see" through soft materials such as a blanket covering a child.

The device would also be able to differentiate between a child and an object on the seat, and could even detect the child's breathing patterns and heart rate, according to Tesla.

The device could be put to use for other scenarios, too; for example, it could be used to assess a passenger's body size to optimize airbag deployment in case of a crash, or determine with greater accuracy when to engage seatbelt reminders.

Tesla is not the first company to think of this; in fact, in its request, the company notes that the FCC granted Google the permission for a device that has identical operating parameters.

In February 2019, Tesla launched a sort of a precursor for this idea with Dog Mode, a feature that sets the cabin temperature to keep a dog safe, and lets passersby know that everything is alright. The company also introduced Sentry Mode, in which the car uses its sensors to monitor its surroundings.

It's unclear when the new sensor – if approved – would be built into Tesla cars.