Mike Linney is the Chief Science and Innovation Officer at Seeing Machines.
Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) are quickly becoming the world’s leading automotive safety system. In the United States, the rapid growth of Level 2 driving assistance systems such as GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise has greatly accelerated and expanded the use of DMS.
Driver monitoring systems use strategically placed cameras to ensure that the driver is aware of the road, awake and paying attention. The system is integrated into the vehicle and can be programmed according to a series of progressive actions, from alerting or warning the driver to slowing or stopping the vehicle if the driver is no longer able to drive the vehicle.
Worldwide, DMS will become a standard safety feature by 2023. Provisions in a bipartisan U.S. infrastructure bill would require the Department of Transportation to begin developing rules to stop reckless driving and drunk driving as well as update the New Car Evaluation Program in United States (NCAP). European standards will initially apply to distracted and drowsy driving. Eventually, Europe will require that disability detection systems include alcohol and drugs.
These technologies can’t come soon enough. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving caused more than 3,000 deaths in 2019, a 10% increase from 2018. Drunk driving has also increased. In 2019, 10,142 people died in drunk driving accidents. Early estimates from 2020 indicate a 9% increase in drunk driving deaths. While many expected traffic deaths to decline during the pandemic, the opposite happened.
The good news is that DMS is a road-ready technology, and is already in use today. All major OEMs in the United States have plans to implement a Destination Management System (DMS) soon. General Motors has just announced its next-generation system, UltraCruise, which uses DMS to ensure motorists are able to drive when needed. According to GM, this Level 2 system will allow hands-free driving in 95% of all driving situations. The current system, Super Cruise, is already being expanded to include more vehicle models.
Across the world, automakers are also expected to rapidly increase DMS usage in response to growing demand for driver assistance systems and government regulations. A recent study reported that advanced emergency braking systems alone can reduce crashes in light-duty vehicles by 33%. It is impossible to ignore these numbers. To put that in context, traffic deaths fell by 29% in the 39 years between 1980 and 2019.
If we apply a conservative efficacy rate of 30% and assume high levels of DMS penetration in the vehicle fleet to treat distraction, drowsiness and intoxication in 2019, it is reasonable to estimate that up to 4,200 deaths and 315,000 injuries could have been prevented. Even if we reduce the effectiveness rate to 10% and allow DMS penetration levels to rise over several years, there is still a significant improvement in road crash prevention.
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are often cited as major technological improvements to vehicle safety. ADAS includes things like automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, blind spot detection and other types of collision prevention technology. However, these techniques work best when combined with a DMS.
For example, a car using DMS with AEB can tell if a driver is distracted. In this case, the car can increase the distance before the AEB system starts to stop the car. Likewise, lane keeping assist can become more sensitive and take over more vehicle control when the car detects a distracted or drowsy driver.
In 2015, US automakers agreed to include advanced driver assistance systems as standard equipment by 2022. Euro NCAP will require ADS as part of advanced driver assistance systems starting in 2023. The combination of ADS and ADS results in Establish a strong vehicle safety system.
DMS uses a closed-loop system, which means that all data remains on board the vehicle. The driver-monitoring camera uses advanced algorithms and technology to “look” at data points on the eyes and face. No video is recorded, and there is no system to “chat” at the driver; Rather, it provides real-time assistance and should not pose any privacy concerns for consumers.
It is not just government rules and regulations that drive a Destination Management System (DMS). Consumer Reports, a popular trade publication that many consumers consult before purchasing a new vehicle, notes the importance of DMS in vehicle safety.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recognizes the potential of DMS and has included recommendations to accelerate advanced safety technologies in its latest Most Wanted List.
Over the past year, DMS has emerged as a clear leader in new life-saving technologies. The technology exists and is being integrated into cars today. The emergence of driver assistance technologies and government regulations will accelerate DMS deployment. Implementing America’s infrastructure package is critical because it could help ensure 4,200 lives are saved from distracted driving each year.
