Brain pattern study at Ford aims to identify driver fatigue
Ford is working with neuroscientists to develop a system that accurately detects when a driver is tired, distracted or not concentrating.
According to ROSPA, driver fatigue may be a contributory factor in up to a fifth of road accidents, and up to one quarter of fatal and serious accidents. Research has found that in Europe, 40 per cent of drivers do not follow the recommended practice of taking a break every two hours on long journeys.
“The brain processes huge amounts of information when we are driving, but that may change as driver assistance technologies do some of the driving for us. Drivers also get tired, and their minds can wander. Identifying more quickly when this happens could be of critical importance,” said Stefan Wolter, research engineer, Research and Advanced Engineering, Ford of Europe.
Ford is hoping that by identifying the brain responses that reveal lapses in concentration, it may then be possible to match the scans to their physical signs, which can include changes in heart rate or breathing. If a loss in concentration became apparent – such as if a change in heartbeat variability was detected via wearable technology - the vehicle could alert the driver.
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