The Development of the Driver Attention Warning System
by EVANDER KLUM
Saab, the Swedish automotive manufacturer, is currently in the process of developing a system that prevents the driver from swerving. It has named the Driver Attention Warning System (DAWS) to counter two of the most common causes of road accidents �C driver drowsiness and inattention at the wheel.
Based on studies, over a quarter of accidents in Australia are caused by fatigue. Aside from that, death tolls from sleep-related incidents are three times higher than other kinds of accidents. Researchers have presumed that the main cause was because the drivers do not or were not able to swerve or apply their brakes in such situation. A driver who gets behind the wheel after 17 hours without sleep is as impaired in driving as a driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.05.
Previously, several auto makers, such as Citroen, Nissan and Volvo, have come up with systems that were designed to alert the driver through shaking their seats, steering wheel or sounding audible alerts in case the vehicle swerves off the lane. Saab thought of something better than it, more like preventing the occurrence of the swerving. Thus, the DAWS was developed.
DAWS is designed to detect the cause, rather than the consequences. It does not rely on measuring an erratic change in the direction of the vehicle, unlike the systems from Citroen and Volvo. It can alert the driver as soon as the risk of drowsiness or inattention is detected by infra-red cameras. The driver will be alarmed through the use of a combination of text and voice messages, or vibrations in the seat cushion.
The system makes use of two miniature infra-red cameras: one at the base of the driver��s A-pillar and another in the center of the dashboard. Both are focused on the driver��s eyes. Software is responsibility for measuring the driver��s rate of eye blinking. Upon detecting a pattern of long eye-lid closures (indicating drowsiness), a series of warnings is initiated.
There are three warnings. First, a chime and a text message ��Tired?�� displayed on the instrument panel. Second, a speech message ��You are tired�� delivered through the car��s audio system, when the driver��s eye-lid movement does not immediately revert to a normal wide-awake pattern. Third, a stronger warning tone and the message ��You are dangerously tired, stop as soon as it is safe to do so!�� over the audio, when there is still no response. It can only be cancelled through a reset button. Then, the system will eventually reactivate after pressing.
The cameras were also designed to monitor the driver��s eye-ball and head movement. In case the driver��s gaze moves away from the windscreen, a timer begins counting. A vibration in the driver��s seat cushion is activated when the driver��s eyes and head do not return to the straight ahead position within approximately two seconds. It can only be deactivated if the driver��s eyes and head are consistent with the vehicle��s direction of travel.
The system can also detect whether the driver is looking in the rear-view mirror, in the door mirror or turning a corner, while keeping peripheral vision on the road ahead. In such cases, there is a slightly longer time allotted before vibrating the seat.
Under the Road and Transport Research Institute in Sweden, the DAWS was installed in a Saab 9-3 SportCombi for an eight-month test. It is in preparation for putting it in various Saab cars, equipped with premium Saab tie rods, in the future.
