Smart Eye’s DMS software named CES 2026 honoree
Smart Eye’s DMS software feature for detecting alcohol impairment in drivers has been selected as a CES 2026 Innovation Awards honoree in Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility. The software runs on existing driver monitoring system (DMS) hardware and is positioned for production programs and fleet deployment.
eeNews Europe readers will care because DMS software is becoming central to regulatory safety discussions in Europe, including Euro NCAP assessments, and because a software-only approach could potentially simplify integration for European OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers.
Software-driven approach to impairment detection
The company’s feature analyses subtle variations in eye and eyelid behaviour to identify patterns consistent with intoxication, instead of relying on breath sensors. Trained on real-world data from controlled studies, it operates locally in the vehicle, without recording or transmitting video. Because it reuses DMS cameras and compute resources, it potentially avoids additional sensors, calibration, or wiring changes, reducing programme risk and cost for production use.
Martin Krantz, CEO and Founder of Smart Eye, said: “Alcohol impairment detection has been discussed in safety circles for years, but rarely with a viable path to implementation. By running on existing DMS hardware, using existing signals, this feature turns a long-standing safety ambition into a function that can be deployed at scale. It’s trained on real driving data and aligns with the direction regulators are already taking, making it both road-ready and future-proof.”
Regulatory context
Safety authorities, including Euro NCAP, are evaluating alcohol and impairment monitoring, while international regulators consider mandates. For European automotive engineering teams, aligning DMS development with evolving impairment requirements is now a practical consideration. Software features that can be delivered over the air could potentially accelerate pilots and validation, provided they meet local regulatory and privacy frameworks.
CES 2026 presentation
Smart Eye will showcase the alcohol impairment detection capability at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, from 6–9 January 2026, along with its broader in-cabin sensing portfolio. For OEMs and fleet operators, expanding DMS software functions without new hardware may help consolidate in-vehicle systems, if performance remains consistent across drivers, conditions, and lighting environments.
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
