Photo: Volvo
Driver assist systems are supposed to help drivers make the best decisions on the road. Volvo goes a step beyond that, making sure that the driver is in a position to make the best decisions in the first place.
Tesla introduced a new approach to safety based on the assumption that the presence of a driver behind the wheel is unnecessary. On the other hand, Volvo doubles down on the conservative approach of the driver in control of the vehicle at all times. But because drivers are usually humans, therefore prone to making mistakes, Volvo wants to ensure they are as focused as possible. For that, it employs a “driver understanding system” for the first time.
This is a fancy name for a driver monitoring system, but a little different from others fitted by carmakers, and even Volvo, inside their cars. Volvo goes a step further by analyzing the driver a lot during the drive, basically sensing when he is not up to the task before the drivers themselves become aware of that.
The system, fitted for the first time on the new Volvo EX90, uses a two-camera setup to pick up early signals that the driver loses capacity or attention. It analyzes where the driver is looking and how often and for how long their eyes are closed, for instance. Looking too little at the road? This can signify that he is visually distracted, perhaps looking at their phone. Too much? This might mean he is absent-minded to the point that they no longer register what they are looking at.
The car’s capacitive steering wheel also plays a role in this analysis. It goes hand in hand with the steering behavior, so how the driver grabs and handles the steering wheel is also part of the analysis. The software algorithms can use all these signals to determine when the driver loses sight of the road and the traffic. This could be a sign of distraction, so precautionary measures are put in place to mitigate the danger.
At first, the system emits a simple warning signal, but this grows in volume with the severity of the situation. If the driver fails to respond to the warnings, the system can safely stop the car by the side of the road while letting other road users know about the situation by flashing the hazard lights. We will learn more about the new safety systems inside the Volvo EX90 when unveiled on November 9.
This is a fancy name for a driver monitoring system, but a little different from others fitted by carmakers, and even Volvo, inside their cars. Volvo goes a step further by analyzing the driver a lot during the drive, basically sensing when he is not up to the task before the drivers themselves become aware of that.
The system, fitted for the first time on the new Volvo EX90, uses a two-camera setup to pick up early signals that the driver loses capacity or attention. It analyzes where the driver is looking and how often and for how long their eyes are closed, for instance. Looking too little at the road? This can signify that he is visually distracted, perhaps looking at their phone. Too much? This might mean he is absent-minded to the point that they no longer register what they are looking at.
The car’s capacitive steering wheel also plays a role in this analysis. It goes hand in hand with the steering behavior, so how the driver grabs and handles the steering wheel is also part of the analysis. The software algorithms can use all these signals to determine when the driver loses sight of the road and the traffic. This could be a sign of distraction, so precautionary measures are put in place to mitigate the danger.
At first, the system emits a simple warning signal, but this grows in volume with the severity of the situation. If the driver fails to respond to the warnings, the system can safely stop the car by the side of the road while letting other road users know about the situation by flashing the hazard lights. We will learn more about the new safety systems inside the Volvo EX90 when unveiled on November 9.
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