Many of the accidents and deaths caused by cars are due to driver errors, either because they get distracted, or because they are not in good condition to drive, or because they do not pay due attention, or for any other reason.
And we are talking about thousands of people every year, in every country in the world. In the USA alone, in 2021 there were 13,384 deaths related to drunken drivers. And many thousands more all around the world.
In Europe they are trying to develop a standard (called SIDD) to detect alcohol and drugs while driving, and I suppose other parts have similar ideas. That's why I found it interesting to find a development they are doing at the University of Michigan (USA) to have a low-cost system that detects irregularities in drivers when they are behind the wheel.
In many vehicles there are already advanced assistance systems (ADAS) that alert the driver's attention to the wheel. But the “problem” is that each manufacturer establishes its own system in its cars.
And it would be very positive if there were a more or less standard and low-cost system that could be applied to most vehicles. And that's what the University of Michigan seems to be looking for.
And indeed, they are developing an innovative system to detect driving irregularities in real time, such as the presence of alcohol or drugs in the driver, lack of attention behind the wheel, fatigue and drowsiness. This system, known as the Driving Irregularity Detection System, has the potential to significantly improve road safety and reduce the number of traffic accidents.
The system uses cameras, lidars, 3D cameras and other very low-cost sensors, between $5 and $10 each, to be able to identify signs that the driver is not attentive or in ideal driving conditions, such as:
- With the image of the face and the blood flow in it: you can detect if you have consumed alcohol or some other drug
- Watching the eyes: AI identifies the driver's attention
- Heart rate: An infrared camera can detect blood flow and therefore the pulse, and know how the driver is doing
- Respiratory rate: A 3D camera can observe the movement of the chest and the AI establishes the difference with the driver's normal behavior
In short, with a few low-cost sensors, a computer and a simple AI system, the “system” analyzes how the driver is feeling and whether he is capable of driving with minimal safety. A similar mass-produced system should not be expensive, and the system is flexible so that each manufacturer can decide how many sensors to place in a given car model, and what responses the computer gives to the driver's situations.
For me, the fundamental idea, and the one I like the most, is that they are looking for a “low-cost” system that could be applied to many types of cars, even low-end ones. It is a way to standardize driving safety.
Hopefully they will soon obtain a viable prototype and that many manufacturers will be interested in applying it to their products.
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