Automotive interior sensing and driver monitoring are no longer interchangeable systems. As these systems expand to protect all occupants, a new challenge emerges— how to detect occupants when the camera no longer can? Unlike the driver, occupants may assume varied positions, move outside the camera’s field-of-view, or become occluded.

The recent Euro NCAP Occupant Monitoring Assessment protocol has triggered an industry‑wide discussion on how to help OEMs enhance restraint strategies without false or confusing warnings that impact the ride experience.

This presentation highlights Magna’s research on combining camera and radar sensing to enhance out-of-position detection, stature classification, and occupant detection. We will discuss each technology’s strengths and limitations, show how multimodal fusion addresses their gaps, and outline Magna’s fusion strategy and key findings. Finally, we will explore future research directions and show how Magna’s approach enables OEMs to develop more reliable occupant monitoring systems without adding cost or complexity.