Hyundai Develops Rear Seat Alert To Prevent Child Heat Deaths

Sometimes automakers come up with some pretty silly ideas for car features. It's our job to report on them regardless, but this is one feature we are very happy to share with the world. Hyundai has created what its calling Rear Occupant Alert, and it's designed to help make sure nobody is left behind when the car is parked. By nobody, we of course mean infants and young children.

The system is actually very simple. An ultrasonic sensor mounted in the rear of the vehicle can detect movement. The sensor goes active when the car is parked and locked, and if movement is detected, the horn will sound and lights will flash. The system is also tied into Hyundai's Blue Link connected car service, and it will send a text notification to the driver's smartphone.

In addition, a notice appears in the message center of the instrument cluster every time the vehicle is shut down and doors opened, reminding drivers to check the rear seat. Several other automakers offer similar passive reminders for drivers.

We won't preach about how people could possibly forget about a child in a car. There are circumstances none of us can imagine where improbable or even impossible things can happen. According to Hyundai, 38 children have died so far in 2017 because of heatstroke from being left in a hot car. That is 38 too many, which is why this simple-yet-effective system is something we can really get behind. Of course, we can see the family pet also setting off the alarm, but you know what? They shouldn't be left in hot cars, either.

Hyundai says this system will appear in its vehicles for the 2019 model year, and we have nothing but praise for the automaker on this potentially life-saving feature.