Ultraleap's world-class technologies deliver a first for in-car controls at launch of DS Automobile’s future car
Posted; February 27, 2020
Mid-air haptics and hand tracking technology incorporated into Groupe PSA’s premium brand, new luxury car - the DS AERO SPORT LOUNGE.
27th February 2020 – The launch of DS Automobile’s future car - DS AERO SPORT LOUNGE - next week will see in-car controls using unique mid-air haptic and world-class hand tracking technology developed by Ultraleap, the global leader in technologies redefining human‐machine interactions.
The futuristic car’s central armrest contains a revolutionary human-machine interface using gesture controls and haptic feedback which uses ultrasound focused on the user’s hands to create the sense of touch in mid-air. The technology interprets hand gestures enabling the driver, or passengers, to control a range of systems - from managing the car’s entertainment systems in the vehicle, to the navigation system.
The DS AERO SPORT LOUNGE uses Ultraleap’s technology to remove the barrier separating real and virtual interactions. Thierry Metroz, design director at DS Automobiles, said: “An amazing pathway is opening up for us to transform limitations into new opportunities to make cars that are more and more charismatic. Working with Ultraleap on mid-air haptics and gesture control has given us the opportunity to opt for solutions that are both avant-garde and high tech, yet the purely technical element is concealed for the benefit of beauty in the cockpit.”
Steve Cliffe, CEO of Ultraleap, highlighted the desire of DS Automobiles, Groupe PSA’s premium brand, to focus on a customer base looking for personal expression and eager to experience new technologies. “With this in mind, DS Automobiles is a perfect partner for us,” he said. “Our unique approach to human-machine interaction through virtual controls using hand tracking and mid-air haptics provides plenty of exciting opportunities without adding more complex equipment to the driving, or passenger environment. You really have to feel it to believe it.”
Ultraleap’s technology is based on intelligent gesture-reading sensors and focused ultrasound that make you feel like you are touching shapes in open space. The result is augmented and accurate gesture control, enhanced with strong and natural tactile feedback in mid-air. According to research by the University of Nottingham, this combination not only reduces driver distraction, but also increases driver preference and experience.
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About Ultraleap
Ultraleap is the new single brand formed after Leap Motion joined Ultrahaptics in 2019. The combination of the two leaders and a strong portfolio of research-based IP are now focused on facilitating engaging, natural, 3D (spatial) interaction between people and technology. This fast-growth company employs more than 150 people across UK, US and Asia. It has become the first to offer the full vertical stack of software and hardware to enable immersive virtual touch controls for the automotive, advertising, industrial, immersive entertainment and enterprise sectors.
About DS Automobiles
Driven by the spirit of the avant-garde and backed by exceptional heritage – that of the 1955 DS, the DS Brand, launched in 2015, aims to embody French luxury savoire-faire in the automotive industry. DS is Groupe PSA’s Premium brand.