Human interface solutions firm Synaptics has revealed that it will soon start shipping its Natural ID fingerprint sensor evaluation kit (EVK), which is specifically targeted at the automotive industry.The EVK enables developers to place fingerprint sensors into prototypes and demo systems inside the vehicle or in the lab, said the company.”Synaptics is providing a unique and simple way to implement biometric authentication into next generation automobiles. With this evaluation kit, Tier 1s and OEMs alike can rapidly prototype and evaluate compelling automotive user experiences that utilize fingerprint biometrics for a variety of purposes including driver-based personalization, user interface navigation and secure in-car payments,” said Sunil Thomas, senior director, Automotive Business, Synaptics.In its statement, the company said that its new automative interfaces use a combination of biometrics and user input capabilities that makes them ideal for automotive applications such as driver-based personalization, in-car payments and services, and interaction with in-vehicle infotainment systems and instrument clusters.Last December, Dr Huibert Verhoeven, v-p of the automotive business at Synaptics, said that European car firms were taking a lead in integrating touch features into cars.”We are seeing interest from car makers for haptic touch on the steering wheel and biometric fingerprint sensors,” said Verhoeven.According to Verhoeven, European car makers leading the way in considering the implementation of touch surfaces, such as on the dashboard and on the steering wheel.

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