A computer-implemented method for recognizing gestures from a passenger or a driver in a vehicle, the method comprising: determining an illumination level for the vehicle, wherein the illumination level for the vehicle is a measure of an amount of light present in an environment within the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a pair of first sensors (104a-b) in an overhead console of the vehicle and monitoring a region around the passenger or the driver in the vehicle and a pair of second sensors (106a-b) located in the overhead console of the vehicle and monitoring the region around the passenger or the driver in the vehicle, the first sensors (104a-b) being infrared sensors assigned to capture image data with illumination levels below a threshold illumination level, the second sensors (106a-b) being RGB sensors assigned to capture image data with illumination levels equal to or above the threshold illumination level; determining, by an illumination threshold module, whether the determined illumination level is below the threshold illumination level; processing image data captured by the first sensors (104a-b) when the illumination level is below the threshold illumination level; and processing image data captured by the second sensors (106a-b) when the illumination level is equal to or above the threshold illumination level, wherein processing the image data captured by the first or second sensors (104a-b, 106a-b) includes recognizing at least one object from the captured image data and initiating a response using the at least one recognized object, the recognized object being the driver or the passenger in the vehicle performing a particular gesture. determining an illumination level for the vehicle, wherein the illumination level for the vehicle is a measure of an amount of light present in an environment within the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a pair of first sensors (104a-b) in an overhead console of the vehicle and monitoring a region around the passenger or the driver in the vehicle and a pair of second sensors (106a-b) located in the overhead console of the vehicle and monitoring the region around the passenger or the driver in the vehicle, the first sensors (104a-b) being infrared sensors assigned to capture image data with illumination levels below a threshold illumination level, the second sensors (106a-b) being RGB sensors assigned to capture image data with illumination levels equal to or above the threshold illumination level; determining, by an illumination threshold module, whether the determined illumination level is below the threshold illumination level; processing image data captured by the first sensors (104a-b) when the illumination level is below the threshold illumination level; and processing image data captured by the second sensors (106a-b) when the illumination level is equal to or above the threshold illumination level, wherein processing the image data captured by the first or second sensors (104a-b, 106a-b) includes recognizing at least one object from the captured image data and initiating a response using the at least one recognized object, the recognized object being the driver or the passenger in the vehicle performing a particular gesture.