High Stakes - SEE17 Apr 2023 22:41
Unpacking Driver Monitoring Systems and their impact on safety.
t’s widely understood that fatigue and distraction are the two biggest safety risks for employees and businesses in this sector.
While a fatigued driver at the wheel of a passenger car can pose an immediate threat to other road users, their passengers and to themselves, with commercial drivers, operating heavier and more difficult to manoeuvre vehicles, the stakes are even higher.
As some readers may already be aware, a proven solution to managing driver fatigue and distraction is the implementation of a Driver Monitoring System (DMS). But what exactly is a DMS? What are the different types of DMS and how do they work? And, most importantly, how can a DMS help reduce fatigue-related accidents?
Put simply, a DMS is vehicle safety technology designed to detect and alert a driver to dangerous behaviours such as distracted or impaired driving.
That said, it’s important to differentiate between an ADAS and DMS. With the continued introduction of new safety systems and automated driving features in vehicles, it is not uncommon for people to believe DMS is the same as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
However, while both technologies support driver safety, they serve quite distinct purposes. As the name suggests, ADAS are designed to assist drivers and enhance vehicle safety.
Evolving from the most basic of convenience features such as automotive transmission and cruise control, ADAS now support driver safety through collision warnings, automated emergency braking and lane keeping assist to name a few.
ADAS scan the external environment for potential hazards such as pedestrians and other vehicles, warn the driver, and in many cases, interact with semi-autonomous safety assist features.
There’s another way of looking at it. Where ADAS is focused on the vehicle’s behaviour, DMS focuses primarily on driver behaviour.
ADAS can control the car’s speed and keep it within the lane, but only in certain circumstances. This technology is currently incapable of handling many of the situations that are encountered in daily driving. This is why it is critical the driver remain engaged and prepared to take action.
DMS are specifically designed to identify and prevent driver drowsiness, distraction and other human states that can lead to dangerous or risky driving behaviours.
Using advanced AI algorithms, a sophisticated DMS can effectively monitor a driver’s engagement level, provide real-time alerts and help prevent accidents before they happen.
“It’s worth noting that these technologies are separate,” says Paul McGlone, Chief Executive Officer, Seeing Machines.
“DMS can and should be used to complement ADAS to enhance driver and vehicle safety, when fully integrated in the vehicle.”
https://www.primemovermag.com.au/high-stakes/
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