Back Seat Control Panel

This conjecture comes from Hyundai's Rear Occupant system that can detect passengers or objects left behind in the back seat and alert the driver with the car alarm or through their phone (Hyundai Motor Announces, 2017). The feature acts as a connection to the back seat and displays on the dashboard in the front row. So, I thought that it might be beneficial for alerts or updates like these to be given to those in the backseat as well. With the convenient screen located in the back row armrest, passengers are able to view many of the functions that passengers in the front seat are able to. It allows those in the back row to feel as if they're a part of what is going on in the front seat and give them an experience that starts to eliminate the informational lag between the front and back seats.

I propose that this feature would have several different modes or apps to display on the touchscreen what can give information on the trips length and directions, allow for passengers to adjust the sound system or play music on the car, and give them an unobstructed dashboard view from the front seat onto the road. I feel that all of these things can aid in creating a more relaxing and reassuring experience for those in the backseat.

Potential Issues

The only major setback that I can think of with this concept is that because the screen can provide a lot of information to back row passengers, there may be a lack of questions to ask the passengers in the front seat. Therefore it may actually reduce the connection between parents and children in the car. However, I feel that the control and feeling that this can bring to the backseat passenger is far more valuable than the damage that any problem this device may cause.

References

Hyundai Motor Announces New Rear Occupant Alert Reducing Child Heat Hazards. hyundainews.com. (2017, October 3). https://www.hyundainews.com/releases/2383