Volvo cars in the future will keep an eye on the driver to look out for signs of tiredness or inattention. Called Driver State Estimation it is designed to control when other safety systems need to be activated.
A sensor on the dashboard monitors where the driver is looking and how open their eyes are along with the position and angle of his or her head. Any signs of fatigue or inattention will trigger signals to wake the driver as well as keeping the car in lane and a safe distance from the vehicle in front.
The system uses infrared light from small LEDs, which illuminate the driver without causing distraction as the light cannot be seen by the human eye. Although not ready for production Volvo has the system installed in test vehicles and is working with partners including Chalmers University of Technology and Volvo AB on methods to detect tiredness and inattention.
Anything else?
In addition to the safety benefits the technology could be used to adjust the interior and exterior lighting depending on where the driver is looking. It could even be extended to recognise different drivers and adjust the seats and mirrors to their preferred positions. Despite this Volvo is keen to point out that the system won't save pictures or incorporate a surveillance function.