A Fuzzy Logic Approach for Determining Driver Impatience and Stress Leveraging Internet of Vehicles Infrastructure

Abstract

Drivers are held responsible for the vast majority of traffic crashes. Although most of the errors causing these accidents are involuntary, a significant number of them are caused by irresponsible driving behaviors, which must be utterly preventable. Irresponsible driving, on the other hand, is often associated with driver stress and the impatience they show while driving. In this paper, we consider the factors that cause drivers to become impatient and experience stress and propose an integrated fuzzy logic system that determines the stress level in real time. Based on the stress level, the proposed system can take the appropriate action that improves the driving situation and consequently road safety. By using inputs, such as the unnecessary maneuvers that drivers make, the time pressure, and the number of times they are forced to stop, a fuzzy logic controller determines the driver’s impatience, which is then considered alongside other factors, such as the driving experience and history, the behavior of other drivers, and the traffic condition to determine the stress level. We show, through simulations, the feasibility of the proposed approach to accurately determine driver stress and demonstrate some actions that can be performed when stress exceeds certain levels.