{"id":709,"date":"2019-02-28T13:06:14","date_gmt":"2019-02-28T13:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/horizon.peachpuff-wolverine-566518.hostingersite.com\/?p=709"},"modified":"2019-02-28T13:06:14","modified_gmt":"2019-02-28T13:06:14","slug":"fit-to-drive-the-car-will-judge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/709\/fit-to-drive-the-car-will-judge\/","title":{"rendered":"Fit to drive? The car will judge"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When you\u2019re sleepy, stressed or have had a few drinks, you\u2019re not in the best position to drive \u2013 or even make that decision. But automated cars could soon make that call for you.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In Europe, more than\u00a025,000 people<\/a>\u00a0lose their lives on the road every year, while another 135,000 are seriously injured. The main culprits are speed, alcohol or drug driving, non-use of seat belts, distraction, and fatigue. Europe is the world\u2019s safest region with 49 deaths per million inhabitants, but given that the EU aims to bring road safety deaths down to\u00a0almost zero by 2050<\/a>, there is still more to be done.<\/p>\n

The type of automated cars on the road today provide steering, brake and acceleration support while the driver is still at the wheel and constantly monitors the driving. These are known as level two on the autonomy scale, but cars could reach up to level five on the six-level scale in the future \u2014 becoming a completely driverless car.<\/p>\n

However, we are not there yet and we have to take it step-by-step, says Dr Anna Anund from the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI).<\/p>\n

She and her team are developing sensor-based systems as part of the\u00a0ADAS&ME<\/a>\u00a0project to move towards level three, in which the driver can rest and would only be expected to drive when the car requests it.<\/p>\n

These systems would also automatically transfer control between vehicle and driver to ensure road safety, especially when the driver is sleepy, stressed, distracted or anxious.<\/p>\n

\u2018We want to make sure that we don’t give the control back to drivers that are not fit to drive, and also that we can use the automated functionality to take over the control if the driver is not fit to drive,\u2019 said Dr Anund. \u2018What we would like to achieve is a safe and acceptable transition in order to avoid severe crashes with people being severely injured or even killed.\u2019<\/p>\n

Unfit<\/strong><\/p>\n

A lot of drivers are unfit to drive from the beginning \u2014 sometimes they\u2019re fatigued, sometimes they fall asleep as they drive in the middle of the night, sometimes they\u2019re worried, stressed or inattentive, she explains. A driver\u2019s state, but also other factors, such as their health, what road they are driving on, the weather conditions and what time of the day it is, influence driving and increase the risk of crashes.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0information published by the European Commission<\/a>, driver fatigue is a major factor in 10%-20% of road crashes. However, because it is hard to measure fatigue or sleepiness, it has received relatively little attention over the years in conjunction with traffic and traffic accidents, says Dr Anund.<\/p>\n

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Sweden has the safest roads in the EU, with 25 deaths per million inhabitants, whereas Romania has almost four times as many with 99. Image credit – Horizon<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The ADAS&ME team are looking specifically at\u00a0seven different driving scenarios<\/a>\u00a0in various vehicles, including cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles.<\/p>\n

In one scenario, a car needs to take over emergency braking when a driver on a motorway is on their mobile phone and the car in front brakes abruptly. In another, a motorcycle is able to detect that a rider has fainted and turns on the hazard lights, decelerates and pulls over to the side of the road.<\/p>\n

The systems use many types of sensors to monitor the drivers\u2019 state, such as eye trackers and sensors to measure heart rate and changes in voice or face images, most of which are on the vehicle\u2019s dashboard, wheel or seat. These sensors exist and is matter of using them together in a driving context, says Dr Anund.<\/p>\n

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\u2018We want to make sure that we don’t give the control back to drivers that are not fit to drive.\u2019<\/p>\n

Dr Anna Anund, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Dr Anund and her team have found that one group of drivers at risk of fatigue are bus driver, whose\u00a0split shifts affect their sleepiness and performance<\/a>\u00a0during afternoon drives.<\/p>\n

\u2018We know that about 40% of bus drivers in the city have to fight to stay awake 2-4 times a month or more often due to high levels of stress,\u2019 said Dr Anund.<\/p>\n

This could be alleviated by allowing an automated bus to support the driver \u2013 for example through automated docking at bus stops \u2013 while ensuring the driver still has control in unforeseen circumstances. Helping the vehicle and the driver to work together can lead to safer roads, she says.<\/p>\n

Individual<\/strong><\/p>\n

She also notes that each person varies and reacts differently in both normal and impairment states, such as sleepiness, and therefore the systems should work on an individual level. To measure heart rate variability accurately, for example, information such as age and gender should be included or the initial state of the driver should be used as a reference.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s important to develop systems where your individual preferences and behaviours are incorporated,\u2019 said Dr Anund. \u2018So we will also focus on individualising the detection system but also the HMI (human-computer interaction).\u2019<\/p>\n

If the user can design how they want the communication between human and vehicle to be done, then there’s more trust and acceptance, she explains.<\/p>\n

Another problem in road safety is driving under the influence of alcohol.\u00a0About 25%<\/a>\u00a0of all road deaths in Europe are alcohol-related. As alcohol concentration in the drivers\u2019 blood increases, the crash rate does too.<\/p>\n

One of the recommendations to the EU suggested in a\u00a02014 report by Ecorys<\/a>, a research and consulting company, is to make alcohol interlock devices \u2014 in which drivers have to take a breathalyser test before they can start the ignition \u2014 mandatory for certain categories of drivers or vehicles, such as repeated drink-driving offenders, professional drivers or commercial good vehicles.<\/p>\n

Previous studies<\/a>\u00a0have shown that alcohol ignition interlock devices are 40%-95 % more effective in preventing drink-driving recidivism than traditional measures such as licence withdrawal or fines. The risk of reoffending is reduced by 28%-65 % when these devices are installed, and rises again if they\u2019re removed.<\/p>\n

Julian Sofroniev, CEO of Bulgarian company\u00a0Global Technology Biodit<\/a>, which manufactures biometric security products, said: \u2018These devices are really important. We could save more than 25,000 lives by preventing car engines to start when people have high levels of alcohol in their blood.\u2019<\/p>\n

Biodit is developing a device that combines alcohol detection with biometric identification to prevent a drunk driver from starting a vehicle, through a project called\u00a0PREVENT<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The idea is that the ignition lock would replace the start\/stop button and would be pressed by the driver when they get into a car. The device would use a laser to measure different physiological parameters \u2013 such as heart beats or sweat, for example \u2013 and if they’ve had too much to drink then the car’s ignition would simply not start.<\/p>\n

\u2018In these cases you could call a taxi, but you definitely can’t use your car,\u2019 said Sofroniev.<\/p>\n

To avoid the risk of someone other than the driver taking the test, the device will also use finger vein recognition, where vein patters are matched to records, to confirm the driver\u2019s identity. Blood vessel patterns are unique to each individual and are almost impossible to fake because they are located beneath the skin’s surface.<\/p>\n

In its first stage of research, PREVENT confirmed a market need for such a device. Consequently, Sofroniev and his team are continuing to develop their device and hope it will hit the market by the end of next year.<\/p>\n

The research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.<\/em><\/p>\n

Originally published on Horizon<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re sleepy, stressed or have had a few drinks, you\u2019re not in the best position to drive \u2013 or even make that decision. But automated cars could soon make that call for you. In Europe, more than\u00a025,000 people\u00a0lose their lives on the road every year, while another 135,000 are seriously injured. The main culprits … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":317,"featured_media":710,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[25,79,24,28,143],"class_list":["post-709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-innovation","tag-research","tag-science","tag-technology","tag-transport"],"yoast_head":"\nFit to drive? 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By \u00a0Tom Cassauwers When Carlo Polidori is driving and starts rubbing the back of his neck, he knows it\u2019s probably time to take a break. 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By B\u00e1rbara Pinho In the not-so-distant future, unusual looking cargo vehicles \u2013 sporting large black windscreens and with no human driver behind the wheel \u2013\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Earth, Energy & Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Earth, Energy & Environment","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/earth-energy-environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Researchers are preparing automated trucks equipped with cameras, sensors and radars to transport cargo on Europe\u2019s public roads. \u00a9 Einride","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/05\/06.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/05\/06.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/05\/06.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/05\/06.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":719,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/719\/road-upgrades-to-help-humans-drive-alongside-automated-cars\/","url_meta":{"origin":709,"position":2},"title":"Road upgrades to help humans drive alongside automated cars","author":"Richard Gray","date":"March 7, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"As new self-driving vehicles appear on the streets, the traffic clogging our cities and highways could get a lot worse unless the roads themselves become smarter. Automated vehicles are often lauded as the solution to Europe\u2019s congested road networks due to their ability to drive closer together and at higher\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Life & Non-Humans"","block_context":{"text":"Life & Non-Humans","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/life-non-humans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Image credit - Pixabay\/0532-2008, licensed under pixabay license","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/03\/traffic-jam-688566_1920.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/03\/traffic-jam-688566_1920.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/03\/traffic-jam-688566_1920.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/03\/traffic-jam-688566_1920.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/03\/traffic-jam-688566_1920.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/03\/traffic-jam-688566_1920.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1257,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/1257\/qa-china-and-europe-likely-to-see-different-effect-of-coronavirus-related-air-pollution-drop\/","url_meta":{"origin":709,"position":3},"title":"Q&A: China and Europe likely to see different effect of coronavirus-related air pollution drop","author":"Catherine Collins","date":"April 22, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"In March,\u00a0a study revealed\u00a0that between 50,000 and 100,000 deaths could be avoided this year in China if air pollution stayed at the same level as during the coronavirus lockdown. While other parts of the world have also seen improvements in air quality, the impact in Europe is likely to be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Coronavirus lockdowns have caused air pollution to drop. Science is probing whether air pollution worsens the effects of coronavirus, with recent studies including in Italy suggesting there\u2019s a link between polluted areas and higher fatality risk. 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By\u00a0\u00a0TOM CASSAUWERS It's an ordinary day in the northern German city of Hamburg, where countless cars move along the streets and pedestrians cross at the intersections. Amid all the hustle and bustle, one vehicle advances without the driver's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Transport"","block_context":{"text":"Transport","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/transport\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/5.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/5.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/5.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/5.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/5.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/5.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3237,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/3237\/europe-unveils-plan-to-supercharge-its-science-facilities\/","url_meta":{"origin":709,"position":5},"title":"Europe unveils plan to supercharge its science facilities","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"September 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From lasers to life sciences, Europe\u2019s new plan for research and technology infrastructures aims to turn world-class science into everyday impact. 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Unveiled at this year\u2019s Research\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Frontier Research"","block_context":{"text":"Frontier Research","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/frontier-research\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Europe\u2019s research and technology infrastructures are hubs of knowledge and collaboration helping scientists tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. \u00a9 Gorodenkoff, Shutterstock.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/16.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/16.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/16.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/16.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/317"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/709\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}