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Fig. 3.2 Lexus driver
monitoring system. Source:
Wikimedia Commons
start to get droopy, an alarm will sound, and, again, the system will jump in and
attempt to decelerate the car automatically. Toyota expects to be installing this in
cars in the next couple of years.
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Mercedes-Benz . Back in 2009, Mercedes-Benz introduced system called
“Attention Assist” [ 4 ]. At the heart of this system is a highly sensitive sensor
which allows extremely precise monitoring of the steering wheel movements
and the steering speed. Based on these data, the system calculates an individual
behavioral pattern during the first few minutes of every trip. This pattern is
then continuously compared with the current steering behavior and the current
driving situation. This process allows the system to detect typical indicators
of drowsiness and warn the driver. The system becomes active at the speeds
between 80 and 180 km/h because it has been shown that, while driving for
extended period of time at these speeds, the risk of drowsiness is much greater
then in typical city drive.
￿
Vo l v o . Volvo was among the first to introduce a drowsiness detection system
[ 11 ], combining two safety features: “Driver Alert Control” and “Lane Departure
Warning”. “Driver Alert Control” monitors the car's movements and assesses
whether the vehicle is being driven in a controlled or uncontrolled way. From
the technical point of view the system is straight forward and consists of: (a) a
camera, which is installed between the windshield and the interior rear-view
mirror and continuously measures the distance between the car and the road
lane markings; (b) sensors, which register the car's movements; (c) a control
unit, which stores the information and calculates whether the driver risks losing
control of the vehicle. The second system, “Lane Departure Warning System”,
helps preventing single-vehicle road departure accidents as well as head-on
collisions due to temporary distraction. This system has limitations, since it
highly depends on the number and quality of visible road markings, good lighting
conditions, no fog or snow or any other extreme weather conditions.
￿
Volkswagen . The “Driver Fatigue Detection” system, by Volkswagen, auto-
matically analyzes the driving characteristics and—if they indicate possible
fatigue—recommends that the driver take a break [ 10 ]. The system continually
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