Lexus Introduces Car With Human Heartbeat

     While cars are moving towards automation and Google’s self-driving cars and flying cars are in making, Lexus Australia in collaboration with M&C Saatchi has come up with an automobile that restores the lost connection between man and machine. The project is aimed at visualizing the physical and emotional connection between driver and his vehicle by reflecting driver’s heartbeat on car’s exterior.

Described by Lexus as “the heartbeat car”, in this new design a Lexus RC-F coupe is equipped with biometric technology and covered with electro-luminescent paint full of phosphorescent substances that glows when electrical charge runs through it.
Electric pulses from driver’s heart are sent to the control board in car using wireless heart monitor and sensors. The control board (containing an Arduino micro-controller) takes the electric pulses and transfers them to car’s side panels, and displays the heartbeat information in a pulsating pattern. The system is powered by a 13-V battery which recharges itself when engine is on.

When the car is parked during day time or when system is shut down, the car has a standard silver finish and its heart pulsing potential is hidden from sight.

Unfortunately, this car is a one-time collaboration and there are no plans to add this feature to every Lexus vehicle. But it can be used in future cars to visualize driver’s emotional and physical state. From sleepiness after a long day at work to anger while stuck in bad traffic, the car can reveal endless emotions. The car’s paint can also be used to show things like turn signals, breaking, or acceleration. There are endless possibilities for this new technology in wearables and architecture.