Battle against microsleep: BMW Group Research tests driving alertness assistant

Munich. BMW Group Research is testing a system on ConnectedDrive research
vehicles that will reduce the risk of microsleep. According to a study of the
umbrella organisation of the German insurance business (GdV), microsleep is the
cause of 24% of fatal motorway accidents. A driving alertness assistant
developed by the BMW Group and Würzburg University is now able to recognise how
watchful or tired the driver of a vehicle is. The information on the degree of
tiredness is derived from how the driver is blinking. If the system recognises
that the driver is getting tired or is tired, it immediately gives appropriate
feedback via a visual display. The aim of this research project is to recognise
and reduce risks to safety arising from tiredness as early as possible. An
initial result of the research project is a system that informs the driver in
which of four alertness or tiredness stages he is currently in. The system is
now available for testing. Dr. Raymond Freymann, Director of BMW Group
Vehicle Resea
rch, emphasises however that the alertness assistant cannot and should not take
the responsibility of the driver's hands, but should be of assistance and warn
him if his alertness is decreasing. In order to evade the risk of microsleep,
he can then break his journey in good time and have a rest.

The BMW Group is researching and testing the alertness assistant as part of the
ConnectedDrive project. With ConnectedDrive, the BMW Group is leading the
networking of driver, vehicle and environment into new dimensions. Here
information from telematic and online services, and the driving alertness
assistant system are being brought together and evaluated. In this way drivers
obtain the information essential to their respective driving situations. The
virtual ConnectedDrive "co-pilot" consequently increases safety, efficiency and
comfort in road travel.

Simple functionality of the alertness assistant
When drivers take their place at the wheel and look through the windscreen, a
camera integrated in the car focuses on their eyes. The camera automatically
follows the head movements of drivers and records their eyes again, if for
example they turn round briefly when manoeuvring.

The system recognises the degree of alertness or tiredness of drivers through
the frequency and speed of their blinking and how open their eyelids are.
Basically, a person who is awake blinks less often, but very quickly. The more
tired we are the more often we blink and the slower our blinking becomes. At
the same time our eyes are gradually closing. The calculational algorithm of
the alertness assistant infers the actual present degree of alertness or
tiredness of the driver from this data. However, the glazed driver is nothing
to be afraid of - the alertness assistant does not record any data.
Consequently there is no risk of information being passed on or being evaluated
after the trip.

Before microsleep: 4 stages of alertness
BMW Group differentiates between four stages of alertness or tiredness: stage 1
= awake, stage 2 = less alert, stage 3 = tired and stage 4 = drowsy. Drivers
who are in the drowsy state are in danger of falling into a microsleep or
falling asleep completely. The system currently being tested gives drivers the
information from the alertness assistant via a visual display. If the system
recognises that the driver is awake (=stage 1), two green diodes light up. If
the driver is less alert (=stage 2) or tired (=stage 3), one or respectively
two yellow diodes light up. If the driver finally becomes drowsy (=stage 4) two
red LEDs give a warning that there is an acute risk of microsleep at any time.
It is of course also possible to integrate an additional acoustic warning in
case the drowsy state is reached. This should be the latest point for the
driver to stop the car or take a break. Here the typical approach of the BMW
Group is not to wait with the warning until the driver is already drowsy, but
to warn him befor
e this, when his alertness is only slightly diminished. The process of becoming
tired should therefore be recognised as early as possible (in stage 2) and the
driver warned before going into stages 3 or 4 and falling into a microsleep.

Driving assistance does not relieve drivers of their responsibility
The alertness assistant follows the general philosophy of the BMW Group whereby
drivers are never deemed incapable of managing their own affairs or relieved of
their responsibility. Drivers should be assisted by being warned as early as
possible if their alertness is decreasing. At the end of the day, however, it
is up to the drivers themselves whether they heed this warning and counteract
further tiredness at the wheel by taking appropriate steps. If their alertness
is only slightly diminished this could mean, for example, letting in some fresh
air. However, these kinds of measures are only of limited help, and regular
breaks, or if there is any doubt a longer break in the journey with a
recuperative sleep, are often the only solution to the problem.

Tiredness at the wheel as a key traffic problem
According to a study by the umbrella organisation of the German insurance
business (GdV), the evaluation of approx. 200 fatal motorway accidents on
Bavarian motorways showed that nearly a quarter (24%) of these accidents could
be attributed to falling asleep at the wheel. A further 14% were caused by
drivers not being alert. Looking at these factors alone, the topicality of the
subject of road accidents caused by microsleep is clear and shows the need for
the development of a system that helps protect drivers from such accidents.

The BMW Group alertness assistant: the next steps
While researching and testing the alertness assistants the BMW Group is looking
at two areas, the recognition of tiredness and adjusting measures. In the field
of recognition the BMW Group research is already well advanced. In the field of
adjusting measures different approaches exist. The current concept consists of
simply informing the driver which stage of alertness or tiredness they are
presently at. Other likely future concepts must first be tested and discussed.
Possibilities here as part of the ConnectedDrive project are the integration of
different assistance and information systems and a visual display. For example,
automatic information on the next car park or the next hotel could be played
into the navigation system - before microsleep approaches.

The BMW Group research is going to expedite this field in collaboration with
project partners, and integrate it into the pre-series or series development in
order to increase safety on the roads.