Patent attributes
A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior prismatic rearview mirror assembly and a camera disposed at the interior prismatic rearview mirror assembly behind and viewing through a prismatic mirror reflective element into the interior cabin of the vehicle. Supplemental sources of near infrared illumination are disposed at the mirror assembly that are operable to emit near infrared light to illuminate at least the driver-side front seating area within the interior cabin of the vehicle. Presence of the camera behind the prismatic mirror reflective element is not readily apparent to an occupant of the vehicle. The camera at least (a) views the driver-side front seating area of the vehicle and (b) views a passenger-side front seating area of the vehicle. The driver of the equipped vehicle is monitored via processing at the processor of image data captured by the camera.
