Indirect Driver Monitoring System

This feature may alert you if your driving performance indicates you’re distracted, tired, or otherwise not operating safely.

What It Does

What It Does: Uses vehicle motion and/or indicators of driver performance to estimate whether a driver is not paying attention to the road.

What It Does Not Do: This system will not take over driving tasks for a distracted or inattentive driver.

How it works

WHAT IT DOES

Indirect driver monitoring systems use inputs such as steering wheel motion, vehicle sway within the lane, or other factors where patterns indicate a driver may be distracted, inattentive, or fatigued. When this is detected, the system can provide a warning to the driver, and some may limit the use of other vehicle features until it finds indicators that attention has been restored.

THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND IT

This feature looks for patterns, allowing the computer to make an “educated guess” that the driver may not be paying attention properly. Unlike a direct driver monitoring system, which uses a camera to analyze the driver’s head or eye movements, an indirect system examines clues from how the vehicle is moving to determine whether the driver may not be alert. Information can come from sensors in the steering wheel that detect your hands are no longer touching it, or from the movement of the car relative to the lane.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

When the system gives you an alert – for example, an icon like a coffee cup may appear on your dashboard display – pay attention to the road. If you are feeling tired, sick, or just unable to keep driving safely, find the first safe place to pull over.

IMPORTANT

Do not rely on this technology to determine whether you are alert or sober enough to drive safely. If you feel sleepy or impaired, then do not start driving.

Question & Answers

Research indicates that direct driver monitoring systems are more accurate. Those are system that look right at the driver. However, if your car does not offer that technology, an indirect system can still alert you to when your driving indicates a dangerous situation.

Indirect Driver Monitoring System

How it works

WHAT IT DOES

THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND IT

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

IMPORTANT

Question & Answers

Which is more effective, a direct or indirect monitoring system?

Resources

Indirect Driver Monitoring System Quick Guide

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