Technology to alert distracted and tired drivers from Volvo
Research studies reveal that 90 percent of all traffic accidents are due to driver distraction. Swedish automaker Volvo is currently concentrating on developing an efficient technology that will help drivers combat road accidents that are caused by distraction or fatigue based on the statistics presented in the study. Volvo is launching a technology that’s a first of its kind, the Driver Alert Control (DAC) and also a Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system. It will be presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. These two systems which will soon become one of the Volvo parts and will be available as an option priced at £500 on the all-new Volvo V70 and XC70 and the Volvo S80 at the end of 2007.
“Real life safety is the key to our safety philosophy. When it comes to preventative safety, we have the same approach as when we develop protective systems. In other words our research and technical developments focus on areas where new technology can create significant results in real-life-traffic,” says Ingrid Skogsmo, Director of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre.
One-of-its-kind technology
Volvo has made a lot of extensive studies on how drivers perform or operate when behind the wheel and that is why the Swedish automaker was able to develop the DAC, which is a world-first innovation. DAC does not monitor the human behavior as it varies from one person to another, and instead it monitors the car’s progress on the road. This is actually a more reliable source of assessment as it measures the impact of the fatigue or distraction has on the car’s motion. That way, it measures if the car is being driven at a controlled and well-paced manner.
This system deals with a lot of situations like when the driver is paying more attention in mobile phone conversation or distraction caused by the vehicle’s passengers.
The DAC system is composed of a camera seated between the windscreen and the interior rear view mirror, a number of sensors, and a control unit. The camera assesses the distance between the road lane markings and the car, and the sensors records the movements of the car. The control unit receives this information and calculates it to check whether the driver is already losing control of the car.
Assessing Risks
If the assessment reveals that a risk is high, the driver will be alerted through an audible signal. A text message and a coffee cup symbol also appear in the information display of the car to advise the driver to have a break. The driver can access this driving information throughout a journey, the start point is five bars and the less consistent the driving, fewer bar remains.
“It is, of course, always the driver’s responsibility to take a break when necessary, but sometimes you might not realize that you’re not alert enough to drive. In such situations, Driver Alert Control can help the driver make the right decision before the concentration level becomes too low,” concludes Daniel Levin, project manager for Driver Alert Control at Volvo Cars.
When Changing Lanes
The researchers at Volvo Cars estimates that the Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system can help prevent about 30-40 percent of accidents that are caused by single car road departures and head-on collisions. The LDW uses the camera that’s located between the rearview mirror and windscreen and observes the position of the car between the road markings. The system is activated through a button found on the center console and it gives a gentle warning sound if the car suddenly crosses the road markings and the indicator has not been used.
These two systems, the DAC and LDW are activated at the speed of 40mph and will stay activated as long as the speed remains above 37mph. These systems, however, depend on the number and quality of the road markings. These marks should be clearly visible as these systems may not work well in poor light, snow, fog, and extreme weather conditions
