Potentials of In-Cabin CO2 Sensing to Prevent Hot Car Deaths

Temperatures within a vehicle vary alongside outdoor weather conditions. However, even in moderate climates, heat can build up quickly inside a car, resulting in temperatures that are $10~^{\circ }$ F– $20~^{\circ }$ F higher than outside temperatures in a matter of minutes. If an infant or toddler were to be trapped inside a vehicle, this may result in hyperthermia, and in severe cases death. A child detection system that takes advantage of CO₂ exhalation is examined in this article. If noticeable increases or sudden fluctuations in CO₂ levels are detected, the system could trigger warnings such as alarms or cellphone notifications and engage life saving measures, such as turning on AC or slightly opening windows, for instance. Our studies show that while changes in CO₂ concentration can be recognized correctly by a logistic regression algorithm, the slowness of CO₂ diffusion interferes with the accuracy of the model. Sensors that measure weight or detect motion can be applied to further optimize the entire detection system.