Meta’s Neural Band: Beyond Gestures, I Controlled a Car Screen
▼ Summary
– The Meta Neural Band, currently a controller for Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses, may eventually be sold separately and used with various other hardware.
– Garmin’s Unified Cabin concept, demonstrated at CES 2026, envisions a smarter vehicle interior integrating dynamic lighting, ultra-wideband tech, and new inputs like hand gestures.
– In a demo, the Meta Neural Band allowed control of a car’s digital interface via hand gestures read from electrical signals at the wrist, without needing to extend the arm.
– The Unified Cabin concept also uses Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology to precisely locate a digital key, enabling personalized features like welcome lighting and seat settings.
– While still a concept, this collaboration between Garmin and Meta explores future inputs for vehicles, with the Neural Band potentially becoming a standalone product or even a car’s digital key.
The potential for controlling your car’s systems extends far beyond voice commands or a touchscreen, with new wearable technology offering a glimpse into a more intuitive future. Meta’s Neural Band, currently a companion for its smart glasses, was demonstrated in a groundbreaking collaboration with Garmin at CES, showcasing how wrist-based gesture control could integrate into next-generation vehicle cabins. This wasn’t about driving a real car, but about interacting with a sophisticated digital dashboard using nothing more than subtle hand movements detected by sensors on your wrist.
Garmin’s vision, called the Unified Cabin, reimagines the entire in-vehicle experience. It’s a concept where a central computer manages not only multiple displays but also ambient lighting and advanced connectivity. During a hands-on demo inside a stationary mock-up, wearing the Neural Band allowed for basic but compelling control. With a hand resting casually above my lap, I could rotate a 3D model of a car on the main screen and use pinching gestures to zoom in and out. The system reads intentions through electrical signals in the forearm, translating specific finger motions into commands with subtle haptic feedback confirming each action.
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
This exploration points toward a future where inputs are seamless and integrated. Within an environment like Android Auto, you might navigate menus or select items with a flick of the wrist instead of reaching for the screen or raising your voice. The demo was limited to passenger-side interaction, swiping through an interface and engaging with on-screen elements. While the concept cabin omitted a steering wheel, engineers speculate the technology could potentially function even with hands on the wheel, though the safety implications of such gesture-based driving controls remain a significant question for further development.
The Unified Cabin concept also leverages Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology to create a more personalized and responsive space. UWB’s precise location tracking could allow a vehicle to identify individual drivers as they approach using a digital key on a phone, fob, or potentially a device like the Neural Band. The car could then automatically adjust seating positions, climate settings, and even welcome lighting specifically for that person. This system aims to distinguish between occupants with remarkable accuracy, ensuring the driver’s preferences are activated instantly, though such technology is still being refined.
(Image credit: Future/Jeremy Kaplan)
While firmly in the conceptual stage, this collaboration highlights a serious industry trend toward diversifying how we interact with our vehicles. The Meta Neural Band itself may eventually be sold as a standalone product, unlocking its potential as a universal controller for various smart devices, including your car. It represents a shift from bundled accessory to a possible central component of a connected lifestyle, hinting at a future where your wearable might also be your digital car key and primary in-cabin interface.
(Source: TechRadar)
