Abstract
The search for safe vehicles is increasing with both diffusion of high traffic density over the world and availability of new technologies providing sophisticated tools previously impossible to realize. Design and development of the necessary devices may be based on simulation tests that reduce cost allowing trials in many directions. A proper choice of the arrangement of the drive simulators, as much as of the parameters to be monitored, is of basic importance as they can address the design of devices somehow responsible for the drivers safety or, even their lives. This system setup, consisting of a free car simulator equipped with a monitoring system, collects in a nonintrusive way data of the car lateral position within the road lane and of its first derivative. Based on these measured parameters, the system is able to detect symptoms of drowsiness and sleepiness. The analysis is realized by a fuzzy inferential process that provides an immediate warning signal as soon as drowsiness is detected with a high level of certainty. Enhancement of reliability and minimisation of the false alarm rate are obtained by operating continuous comparison between learned driver typical modalities of operation on the control command of the vehicle the pattern recorded.
Highlights
Development of new systems aimed at increasing the equipments for active safety of motor vehicles is draining more and more attention in both academies and industries, involving scientists from many fields ranging from engineering to medicine
Data from the National Statistics Institute (ISTAT) on this subject say that accidents due to physical or mental conditions of the driver correspond to approximately 3.8% of the total
That includes as inputs lateral position and its first derivative, is generated a judgment (J) on the quality of the vehicle lateral control operated by the driver, in the specific time interval delimited by the time step of signals acquisition
Summary
Development of new systems aimed at increasing the equipments for active safety of motor vehicles is draining more and more attention in both academies and industries, involving scientists from many fields ranging from engineering to medicine. Microsleeps just are the emerging tip of a progressive phenomenon characterized by a gradual reduction in the level of supervision, which in turn induces a continuous decrease in psychomotor performances and, a reduction of reaction times, a diminished risk perception and a decrease of attention which may have a value in determining the occurrence of a traffic accident This specially occurs when driving is monotonous and repetitive, favouring the emergence of a latent sleepiness which is often not perceived by the driver. The drowsiness has been reported with drugs widely used as the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, for example, diclofenac or indomethacin, and antihypertensives, especially beta blockers All these conditions leading to a decrease of attention and concentration during driving and reduced ability in evaluating the risks (e.g., from excessive speed) confirm the multifactorial nature as much as the complexity of the system driver-vehicle environment and outlines the benefits driving safety that could derive from an approach addressed to evaluate the physiopathological conditions of the driver rather to wait for his failure
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