Connecting together the company's existing capacitive touch technology with motion sensors and eye movement cameras, the system centers on the multimodal commander -- that mysterious-looking orb located below the gear stick.

ENGADGET: Alps Electric integrates motion sensors and eye detection into vehicle cockpit of the future (video)

To demonstrate the overhanging motion sensor, a camera was positioned at the same point, visualizing a yellow box to show when the system detected movement toward the multimodal controller and a red box to show if hands were near the gearstick.

ENGADGET: Alps Electric integrates motion sensors and eye detection into vehicle cockpit of the future (video)