How Neonode Turns Human Insight into Automotive Safety Innovation

How does human behavior and neuroscience shape the future of automotive safety? Veronika Wahlberg, shares how her unique background in neuroscience is helping transform driver monitoring, interaction sensing and in-cabin intelligence at Neonode.

As vehicles become increasingly intelligent, understanding the human behind the wheel has never been more critical. Veronika Wahlberg, Sales Director Europe, brings a rare combination of neuroscience expertise and automotive experience to this challenge. With a background spanning human behavior research and product development, she offers a unique perspective on how advanced sensing technologies can better interpret driver intent, improve safety and enable a more seamless interaction between humans and machines. In this interview, she discusses how her work is shaping Neonode’s approach to driver monitoring, hands-on-wheel detection, and next-generation in-cabin solutions.

Veronika, how are you currently working with OEMs to shape Neonode’s in-cabin sensing solutions?

A big part of my role is working closely with OEMs to understand their specific safety, regulatory and user experience requirements and then translate those into practical solutions. It’s not just about delivering a feature, but about ensuring it integrates seamlessly into their broader vehicle architecture. At Neonode, we collaborate early and iteratively with customers, which allows us to refine everything from driver monitoring to hands-on-wheel detection so it meets real-world performance expectations.

Many OEMs are looking at Driver Monitoring Systems today. What are they really asking for?

What we consistently hear is that OEMs need more than basic detection. They need systems that are robust, adaptable and ready for evolving regulations across Europe, USA and the rest of the world. That’s where Neonode brings value. We focus on delivering solutions that combine multiple inputs, for example, driver monitoring together with hands-on-wheel detection, to give a more complete and reliable understanding of driver readiness. This is particularly important for higher levels of assisted driving.

How does Neonode help OEMs handle increasingly complex safety requirements?

Safety requirements are becoming more sophisticated, especially with regulations around driver attention and engagement. OEMs need solutions that are not only accurate, but also flexible enough to adapt across different vehicle platforms and markets. We support this by offering a highly customizable software approach. Whether it’s adapting detection thresholds, integrating additional sensing features like occupancy or seatbelt monitoring, or aligning with specific regional requirements, we work alongside OEMs and Tier 1s to ensure the solution fits their exact needs.

Neonode is also advancing digital mirror augmentation. How does that translate into value for customers?

Digital mirrors are a great example of where innovation needs to be both intuitive and reliable. OEMs understand that digital mirror systems enhance visibility and safety, but driver adoption is slow as the experience feels unnatural. Our approach uses head and eye tracking to dynamically adapt the mirror view to the driver. For drivers, that means a more responsive and natural user experience, which reduces cognitive load and therefore fatigue, especially in complex or changing driving conditions.

How do you ensure these technologies are ready for real-world deployment?

Close collaboration with our customers is key. We work through real-world scenarios, edge cases and integration challenges together. That includes everything from system calibration to performance validation in different environments. Because our software is built upon synthetic data, we can iterate quickly and refine performance based on customer feedback, which helps accelerate development timelines while maintaining high quality and reliability.

Finally, what do you see as the biggest opportunity for OEMs working with Neonode today?

The biggest opportunity is to move beyond standalone features and think in terms of integrated, human-centric systems. By combining different sensing capabilities and tailoring them to the vehicle and use case, vehicles can become safer and provide a more intuitive driving experience. At Neonode, we’re focused on enabling that . We love to help our customers to bring a differentiated, future-ready vehicle to market while meeting the increasing demands of safety and regulation.

Human-Centric Safety for the Software-Defined Vehicle

The shift toward increasingly autonomous and software-defined vehicles requires more than just better sensors. It requires a deeper understanding of the human element. By bridging the gap between complex neuroscience and practical automotive engineering, Neonode is helping OEMs move beyond "check-the-box" regulatory compliance.

From robust Hands-on-Wheel detection to sophisticated In-Cabin Monitoring, Neonode’s MultiSensing® platform ensures that as vehicles become smarter, they also become more intuitive, empathetic, and, ultimately, safer for everyone on the road.

Want to learn more? Book a meeting with Veronika.