Groups have called for car companies to integrate child passenger reminder features as a standard for all vehicles. — Designed by Freepik (www.freepik.com)
While drivers are often reminded not to leave valuables in their vehicles, some have overlooked something – or someone – even more precious: their babies.
In January, a five-year-old girl tragically passed away after her mother accidentally left her in a parked car at Hospital Shah Alam in Selangor.
The 32-year-old mother, a hospital staff member, inadvertently left her daughter in the car after picking her up from a daycare centre at approximately 2pm.
It was only after receiving a call from her husband at around 6pm that she realised her mistake.
A similar tragedy occurred last November when a two-year-old girl died after being left in a car for over seven hours. The police reported that the child’s mother intended to drop her off at daycare after sending her two other children to school.
“However, she settled some online business transactions while parked near the daycare centre and forgot to drop the victim off,” the police said in a statement on Nov 9, 2023.
In October 2023, two heartbreaking incidents occurred. A 16-month-old girl lost her life when her father inadvertently left her in a vehicle at the car park for hours. Similarly, an eight-month-old child sadly died after her mother forgot to drop her off at the nursery before heading to work.
According to Anfaal, Selangor is sccheduled to kick off a campaign to tackle the issue of child safety in vehicles on March 21. — The Star
Selangor state executive councillor for women’s development and social welfare, Anfaal Saari, said in a news report that the state will initiate a campaign to tackle the issue of child safety in vehicles.
When contacted, Anfaal said the campaign is scheduled to launch on March 21, adding, “It’s an awareness campaign involving multiple parties from the public and private sectors.”
When it comes to awareness, many drivers may not realise that their vehicles are already equipped with tech solutions that could be used to prevent heartbreaking incidents of leaving infants in the car.
Rear car seat reminders
In 2016, it was reported that General Motors introduced an industry-first rear seat reminder for drivers to be aware of passengers in the backseat. The feature that monitors the rear doors became standard in the 2017 GMC Acadia SUV model.
If any door is opened and closed within 10 minutes of the vehicle starting or while the engine is running, the car will emit a chime.
Additionally, the message “Rear Seat Reminder: Look in (the) Rear Seat” will be displayed on the car dashboard, prompting the driver to inspect the back seats as a precautionary measure.
Since then, more carmakers, including local manufacturers, have introduced child reminder features in various models.
Proton said that the feature can be found in the Proton Saga MC2, the Proton X90 flagship SUV, and the latest addition to the Proton family, the Proton S70.
For the Proton Saga, drivers can turn on the “check your belongings” reminder at the Infotainment Head Unit or display screen.
If the feature is turned on, the Proton Saga will show a reminder alerting drivers about their children, personal belongings and gadgets. — Proton
Once drivers turn the engine off, they will see a reminder with icons for personal belongings, gadgets and children.
“As for the Proton X90 and S70, the ‘check rear seat’ reminder will be turned on at the IPK (the car’s instrument panel),” Proton said in a statement.
In response to queries, Bermaz Auto Bhd highlighted its Rear Occupant Alert feature in the Kia Carnival, Sorento, EV6, and Niro EV models available locally.
When a driver exits the vehicle, the feature will emit an alert to remind users of their rear seat occupants.
The system relies on what the car company has described as an ultrasonic sensor system designed to detect movement in the car.
Honda Malaysia stated that its Civic, WR-V (applicable for E, V, and RS variants), HR-V, and CR-V models are equipped with a Rear Seat Reminder designed to visually alert drivers to check the rear seat for passengers or items before exiting the car.
The company added that the system is designed to work automatically – if any of the rear doors were opened shortly before or after starting the vehicle, it would trigger an alert when the vehicle is turned off. A reminder will also appear on the instrument panel.
However, if a car doesn’t come built-in with an alert system, the most convenient choice is the popular navigation app, Waze.
Waze has a Child Reminder feature that users can use, which can be found in the Settings menu under Reminders.
Once the Child Reminder feature is activated, Waze will display a reminder within the app, alerting users to check the car when they arrive at their destination.
The feature, first introduced in 2016, can also be customised to include a personal message.
There are also child safety accessories like a seat insert, which, when paired with a phone, will send reminders via an app when it detects that the person has left the vehicle. Some can be customised to alert an emergency contact if the driver doesn’t respond in time.
Another baby gear company offers similar features integrated directly into its car seats, with options available for standalone purchase as well. Most of these devices can be purchased online.
Driving change
Following the unfortunate incidents reported last year, a group of local doctors and activists, including consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS, issued a statement urging multiple parties, such as parents, childcare providers, the government and carmakers, to work together to prevent children from being accidentally left behind in vehicles.
The statement said that 20 to 30 minutes in the full sun in a closed vehicle is all that is needed to kill a young child.
In 2020, Toyota unveiled a millimetre-wave radar technology that generates highly detailed 4D images of the car's interior to detect passengers, including babies. — Toyota
The group also advocated for the implementation of technologies that can remind drivers about babies being left in the back seat to be standardised in all cars sold in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Janette E Fennell, the founder and president of the US nonprofit group Kids and Car Safety, has long advocated for technology that could help prevent children from being accidentally left behind in the backseat to be implemented in cars.
In a New York Times report last year, Fennell said carmakers shouldn’t wait to implement the features, adding, “It should really be embarrassing for the automakers and to the government that this has not already been taken care of. When you have the technology to prevent these deaths and it’s not expensive, what are we waiting for?”
According to The Wall Street Journal, US automakers pledged to make rear car seat reminders a standard feature on cars and trucks by 2025.
New technologies to detect children in passenger seats include a ‘cabin awareness’ concept unveiled by Toyota in 2022.
The company said the space-tech-inspired concept uses millimetre-wave radar technology, similar to systems used in autonomous vehicles, to generate highly detailed 4D images of the car’s interior.
It added that it features a multi-tiered alert system, encompassing instrument cluster warnings, horn activation, emergency light flashing, mobile app notifications, and seamless integration with smart home devices or emergency contacts to bolster safety measures.
German automotive parts company Continental has also incorporated a Child-Presence-Detection function (CPD) into its digital access system.
According to a statement released last year, the company said it uses ultra-wideband (UWB) to detect children by monitoring their respiration rates and body movements and is capable of issuing warnings to drivers within seconds.
It claimed that a UWB-based system can detect children in any seating position, even if they are obscured by a blanket or concealed in the cabin footwell.
