Skip to main content

Continental concept vehicle addresses distracted driving

According to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), an average of ten drivers in the US is killed and more than 1,100 people are injured every day as a result of accidents caused by distracted drivers. To address this ongoing concern, automotive supplier Continental has developed a concept vehicle, the driver focus vehicle, where driver assistance systems are linked to a highly versatile LED light strip to create a powerful tool against driver distraction. In its driver focus vehicle, Continental has
February 8, 2013 Read time: 3 mins
According to the 324 US Department of Transportation (USDOT), an average of ten drivers in the US is killed and more than 1,100 people are injured every day as a result of accidents caused by distracted drivers.

To address this ongoing concern, automotive supplier 260 Continental has developed a concept vehicle, the driver focus vehicle, where driver assistance systems are linked to a highly versatile LED light strip to create a powerful tool against driver distraction.

In its driver focus vehicle, Continental has integrated current advanced driver assistance active safety technology with a future interior monitoring system and visual human-machine interface (HMI) technology that provides the driver with a virtual safety-focused companion, or co-pilot, that constantly scans the vehicle's external and internal environments. Coupling these technologies works to make sure the driver's actions and attentiveness match the real time needs of the driving situation.

"The integration of surrounding and in-cabin safety technologies gives us the ability to create a very real relationship between the driver, the vehicle and the environment," said Helmut Matschi, executive board member and president of Continental's interior division. "With the driver focus vehicle technology we are for the first time able to communicate to the driver based on both the driving situation and in relation to his ability to react at this point in time. It represents the ultimate in HMI, delivering the integration of technology, information and safety systems in a way that supports and assists the driver toward a safer and more enjoyable experience."

"Human error is the single cause for about 80 per cent of traffic accidents. Among these, driver distraction is a serious issue and plays a major role. The reasons are complex and range from driver drowsiness and monotonous driving situations to increased driver stress and information overload”, said Dr Ralf Cramer, executive board member and president of the chassis and safety division of Continental. “To combat these realities, Continental utilises active safety technology to advise drivers of the dangers and assist if necessary.”

Interior safety technology in the driver focus vehicle includes:

•    An infrared driver analyser camera positioned in the vehicle's steering column which recognises a driver's facial behaviour, such as eye and head movements, that can indicate that the driver is drowsy or has his head turned away from the road in a critical situation.
•    Halo, an industry-first 360 degree in-cabin optical guidance feature that is integrated with both the interior infrared camera to assist with driver distraction and with ADAS technologies to alert the driver of critical situations.

Surrounding safety technologies include lane departure warning (LDW), adaptive cruise control (ACC) takeover and forward collision warning.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Prison sentence for holding a mobile device while driving
    February 5, 2015
    As of 1 February, it will be illegal for drivers in Singapore to hold any type of mobile device while driving. Previously, only calling or texting someone on a mobile phone was barred. Anyone caught holding any mobile device, phone or tablet, while driving can be found guilty of committing an offence; this means mobile phones and tablets. The new changes include not just talking or texting but also surfing the web, visiting social media sites and downloading material. The law also applies to just hold
  • Lane departure warning system option
    November 11, 2013
    OnLane, the lane departure warning system developed by US commercial vehicle safety technology provider Meritor Wabco is now available as an option on Freightliner Cascadia and Freightliner Cascadia Evolution models. Powered with SafeTrak technology by Takata, OnLane is a forward-looking, vision-based lane departure warning system designed to monitor road markings and the vehicle's position in the lane. The one-box solution integrates a camera and electronics system and delivers distinct and separate au
  • Biometric wearables ‘to disrupt the automotive industry’
    November 18, 2016
    Advances in biometrics will radically transform the driving experience, health wellness and wellbeing (HWW) and security of vehicles by 2025, according to Frost and Sullivan. As one in three new passenger vehicles begin to feature fingerprint, iris, voice and gesture recognition, heart beat and brain wave monitoring, stress detection, fatigue, eyelid and facial monitoring and pulse detection, these will be driven by built-in, brought-in and cloud enabled technologies, the automotive biometrics network wi
  • Selecting the right camera for safety or security
    January 30, 2012
    Machine vision systems offer great variety of function and performance. Teledyne DALSA product manager Manuel Romero describes 10 key criteria to aid selection of advanced camera technology for safety or security applications. There are many ways in which machine vision systems can enhance safety and security in transportation, but the ultimate results will only be as good as the image produced. Success relies on correct selection of the camera of such systems, as the features and performance required vary