A seatbelt will be able to detect if drivers are falling asleep.
Sound asleep? Image: Alamy |
New seatbelt technology has been revealed that can monitor heart and breathing rate, issuing a warning alarm if drivers are likely to fall asleep at the wheel.
Developed by Spanish scientists, the system, called HARKEN, also takes a second reading from a special seat cover but cancels out the motion of the car.
Jose Solaz, of the Biomechanics Institute in Valencia, Spain, said: “The variation in heart and respiratory rate are good indicators of the state of the driver as they are related to fatigue."
Nodding off at the wheel is a major problem and may be the cause of an estimated 20% of all road accidents and around 25% of fatal or serious crashes.
Following successful testing of the system on race circuits. Spanish streets should soon see vehicles being put through their paces in traffic scenarios.