Falling asleep in an AV… but what happens next?

Sleeping while a driverless car speeds you to your destination has long been touted as the dream of the new technology – and something of a nightmare for safety campaigners. A new video from the BBC shows exactly what happens if a driver falls asleep in an autonomous vehicle (AV). In the filmed test, the AV prompts the driver to resume control when approaching roadworks on a motorway. When the driver fails to act, the vehicle comes to a halt and automatically parks in a lay-by. Motor industry research
September 18, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Sleeping while a driverless car speeds you to your destination has long been touted as the dream of the new technology – and something of a nightmare for safety campaigners.

A new %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external video false https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/business-49652566/what-happens-if-you-fall-asleep-in-a-self-driving-car false false%> from the 4967 BBC shows exactly what happens if a driver falls asleep in an autonomous vehicle (AV).

In the filmed test, the AV prompts the driver to resume control when approaching roadworks on a motorway. When the driver fails to act, the vehicle comes to a halt and automatically parks in a lay-by.

Motor industry research organisation Thatcham Research wants this capability to be mandatory in autonomous systems.

Thatcham’s Matthew Avery says: “Vehicle manufacturers are advocating that its fine for the vehicle to stop in lane. We simply don’t think that’s safe. We say that vehicle manufacturers mustn’t leave a vehicle in the middle of the lane. If the driver doesn’t respond, pull the vehicle over, out of the running traffic.”

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

BBC

Related Content

  • Nova Bus delivers 55 hybrid e-buses to Toronto
    November 26, 2018
    Nova Bus has delivered 55 hybrid electric buses to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in Canada in a bid to reduce emissions. The deployment is part of a larger order of 325 buses which was made last year. Nova says the buses feature electric motors from BAE Systems which reduce maintenance costs and emissions. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning are fully electrified along with the doors and power steering. Adam Vaughan, member of parliament for Spadina-Fort York, in Toronto, says: “
    Read More
  • New York City wins ITF award
    May 25, 2018
    New York City has won the 2018 Transport Achievement Award of the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The city’s Department of Transportation was recognised for its commitment to Vision Zero – a programme set up to help cut and eliminate traffic deaths. Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the city’s Vision Zero programme in New York in 2014. The initiative is said to have reduced the number of traffic deaths on New York’s streets by 20% and halved
    Read More
  • European Transport Conference
    July 3, 2015
    The 43rd European Transport Conference, organised by the Association for European Transport, takes place at Campus Westend, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany on 28 - 30 September 2015. The conference brings together people working in research, industry, and public policy to network, exchange knowledge, and inspire new ideas. First-class speakers from across the transport industry will talk on themes including: planning for the future, equity in transport, cycling, climate change, and emissions. Th
    Read More
  • European lawmakers agree to improve toll collection rules
    November 22, 2018
    The European Parliament (EP) and European Council (EC) have agreed on rules to improve the tracing of drivers who fail to pay road tolls when travelling within the European Union. The informal agreement is expected to improve information exchange on vehicle data. Additionally, the agreed rules are intended to allow service providers to develop a system which allows drivers to use a single on-board toll payment device when travelling across the EU. Rapporteur Massimilano Salini (European People’s Party
    Read More

Highlighted Content