Using sensors to monitor the driver’s face, drowsiness detectors are claimed to be a great way of cutting the number of road accidents. It’s not the only way to do it, though, as researchers from the Washington State University (or WSU) have developed and are testing a totally different approach that constantly checks the position and movement of the steering wheel.
The advantage of such a system over camera and sensor based systems is obvious. “Video-based systems that use cameras to detect when a car is drifting out of its lane are cumbersome and expensive. They don’t work well on snow-covered or curvy roads, in darkness or when lane markers are faded or missing,” according to Hans van Dongen, one of the university professors working on the project.
Apparently, the style of movement of the steering wheel carries various telltale signs that a driver is about to drift out of the correct lane; the researchers even use the word “predict” in regards to this system, but we’ll have to see it working and actually predicting something in an unforeseen situation to make it seem believable.
The potential is there, but it’s still too early on to have a clear view on its utility. What is undeniably cool is that, once they iron out the bugs and deem it fit for use on public roads, it will then be easily installable on any car via an aftermarket kit, or straight from the factory if it will ever get that far.
By Andrei Nedelea
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