A system for activating an electromechanical system in a vehicle, comprising: at least one radio frequency antenna configured to receive wireless communication signals from a transponder; an image processing engine; a RF controller communicatively coupled to the at least one RF antenna and configured to verify that the transponder is associated with the vehicle, wherein the RF controller is configured to alternate between a sleep mode and a wake mode on a predetermined schedule such that in the sleep mode the transponder is not be verified by the RF controller, and in the wake mode the transponder may be verified by the RF controller, and the RF controller is configured to change a power state of the image processing engine, IPE, such that in the sleep mode the RF controller does not send a wake up signal to the image processing engine and in the wake mode the RF controller is configured to send the wake up signal to the image processing engine on a condition that the transponder is verified to be associated with the vehicle; at least one camera attached to the vehicle, which is configured to capture an image, wherein the at least one camera is awakened by the RF controller upon transponder verification, and wherein image sensor parameters of the at least one camera are set as a function of light conditions; and the image processing engine is configured to determine a presence of a person based on light, contour or color gradient changes, the at least one camera also configured to capture a gesture upon transponder verification, and the image processing engine is configured to determine that the captured gesture is a valid command; and a controller configured to trigger a predetermined function associated with the electromechanical system on a condition that the captured gesture is the valid command. at least one radio frequency antenna configured to receive wireless communication signals from a transponder; an image processing engine; a RF controller communicatively coupled to the at least one RF antenna and configured to verify that the transponder is associated with the vehicle, wherein the RF controller is configured to alternate between a sleep mode and a wake mode on a predetermined schedule such that in the sleep mode the transponder is not be verified by the RF controller, and in the wake mode the transponder may be verified by the RF controller, and the RF controller is configured to change a power state of the image processing engine, IPE, such that in the sleep mode the RF controller does not send a wake up signal to the image processing engine and in the wake mode the RF controller is configured to send the wake up signal to the image processing engine on a condition that the transponder is verified to be associated with the vehicle; at least one camera attached to the vehicle, which is configured to capture an image, wherein the at least one camera is awakened by the RF controller upon transponder verification, and wherein image sensor parameters of the at least one camera are set as a function of light conditions; and the image processing engine is configured to determine a presence of a person based on light, contour or color gradient changes, the at least one camera also configured to capture a gesture upon transponder verification, and the image processing engine is configured to determine that the captured gesture is a valid command; and a controller configured to trigger a predetermined function associated with the electromechanical system on a condition that the captured gesture is the valid command.