Evaluation of driver status in autonomous vehicles: using thermal infrared imaging and other physiological measurements

Abstract

This review examines whether thermal infrared imaging is a possibility for evaluating the state of drivers in autonomous vehicles. Functional thermal infrared imaging is considered to be a promising future methodology for evaluating driver status. Observations of a driver's emotional state rely on muscle activity, subcutaneous blood flow, and sweating pattern, all driven by the sympathetic nervous system. The selection of appropriate baselines, autonomous nature of thermal prints, experimental setup, methodological problems, limitations, and future directions are all discussed. This paper thus outlines the possibility of monitoring drivers of autonomous vehicles using thermal infrared imaging.