General Motors has filed a patent application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for an in-car system designed to help drivers reduce stress. The application, numbered US 2026/0285323 A1, was submitted on March 19, 2025, and published on September 24, 2026, according to Gasgoo, a Chinese automotive news outlet. The inventors include several Israeli engineers: Yuval Zak, Andrea Forgacs Braunshtain, Gershon Celniker, and Ron Hecht.
The proposed system monitors a driver's stress level and, when conditions are suitable, offers guided exercises to lower it. Breathing exercises are cited as one example. The system combines information about the driver's state with the driving environment to identify opportune moments for stress-relief activities.
How the system works
To assess stress, the system would use a driver-facing camera to track eye movement and facial expressions, while optional sensors could capture physiological data such as heart rate. Smartwatches and fitness trackers could also share relevant information wirelessly. Software would analyze this data, along with inputs like body posture and driving behavior, using machine learning, preset rules, or a combination of both.
The vehicle would simultaneously monitor its surroundings and operating data to determine when it is safe to suggest an exercise—for example, when the car is pulled over or waiting at a red light. The system would also evaluate whether the available time is sufficient for the proposed activity.
If the driver's stress level exceeds a preset threshold and the environment permits, the system would issue a prompt, which could appear on the infotainment screen, as an audio signal, or through haptic feedback. Once the driver confirms, the system would display the exercise via video, text, or illustrations on the infotainment display, while monitoring the driver throughout. If conditions become unsafe, the system would alert the driver to interrupt the exercise and refocus on the road.
The patent also describes features to evaluate the driver's completion of exercises and offer improvement suggestions. Gamification elements such as scoring, rankings, achievement tracking, and leaderboards could boost engagement, along with optional incentives like prizes or discount codes. If stress levels remain high after an exercise and conditions are still suitable, the system might recommend another session.
This patent application reflects a broader trend in the automotive industry toward integrating health and wellness features into vehicles, particularly as software-defined cars become more common. While GM is not a Chinese brand, the technology is relevant to the global EV market, where in-car software and driver monitoring are increasingly important differentiators.
