02 Dec 05 16:54
Volvo is currently testing a device called Driver Alert that aims to counter the problem of driver fatigue.
Sleepiness at the wheel is thought to account for at least 10% of all road accidents and 20% of accidents on motorways, claiming more lives than drink-driving.
Volvo's system is a little different from those being tested by other manufacturers, such as Saab's, which monitors drivers' eye and head movements. It uses a camera mounted between the windscreen and rear-view mirrors that monitors the distance between the car and the road markings, detecting if, for example, the car is drifting out of lane or moving in an uncontrolled way; it then sounds an alarm and displays a message on the control panel.
The warnings are also made if the driver is not concentrating for another reason, such as fiddling with the stereo or sat nav.
Project manager Dr Wolfgang Birk explained: "We have chosen to monitor the car's progress on the road instead of steering wheel input or the driver's eye movements. This gives us a more reliable indication if something is likely to go wrong, allowing the system time to alert the driver before it is too late. We do not monitor human behaviour - which varies from one person to another - but instead the effect of that behaviour, so there is less risk of false alarms.
"Driver Alert should not be confused with Lane Departure Warning systems, which alert the driver when a lane marker is passed. One crucial difference between the systems is that Driver Alert responds without any line having to be crossed. During our tests on simulators and in real life, the Driver Alert system never failed to spot a driver who was falling asleep at the wheel. Nonetheless, we will continue to test and fine-tune the system before Driver Alert is offered to Volvo's customers, but we hope it will be available within two years."
Saab develops anti-sleep system
