SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Netradyne has unveiled its third-generation Driver Drowsiness with Driver Monitoring System (DMS) Sensor built on years of sleep research and a vast dataset.
“Despite 95% of Americans recognizing the danger of drowsy driving, a majority still engage in this risky behavior, according to National Sleep Foundation (NSF) data,” said Adam Kahn, president at Netradyne. “The risk is compounded for those whose livelihoods depend on driving. We put drivers first, so we had to get this right by developing a precise sensor to avoid false alerts without compromising drivers’ road safety. Unlike other offerings on the market that come with subjectivity, Netradyne’s DMS Sensor is grounded in science that’s objective and measurable. Our comprehensive solution will give drivers and safety managers peace of mind that drowsy driving incidents will be prevented.”
According to a media release, Netradyne’s third-generation drowsiness detection technology can now identify early-stage drowsiness. Unlike existing solutions that only detect severe or acute drowsiness, the company’s technology enables proactive intervention, significantly reducing the risk of collisions.
The announcement comes just ahead of the national Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, November 3-9.
According to the release, Netradyne’s industry-leading accuracy provides drivers with precision alerts in real-time, so they are empowered to prevent collisions. With this solution, fleets can:
- Save lives
- Mitigate risk and improve road safety
- Reduce liability and litigation costs and see an ROI faster
A lack of sleep can cause microsleeps, usually lasting four to five seconds. According to the NHTSA, vehicles running 55 miles per hour can travel 100 yards before drivers wake from their microsleep. The impact of this issue is grave, with data from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) indicating that 10-20% of severe collisions are due to driver drowsiness. Legacy drowsy detection systems have attempted to address this silent killer with a narrow view of drowsiness and decreased performance when it counts – in low light at night.
The release noted that the sensor works to detect both early and late stages of drowsiness as defined in research in academic literature. This provides an early warning to drivers and predict future acute drowsiness. In addition, the sensor is sensitive to work under low light at night and can detect drowsiness even if the driver is wearing sunglasses.
“This solution enables timely and precise alerts by accurately detecting subtle micro-behaviors indicative of drowsiness like microsleeps (eye closures), blink measurements, and percentage of eye closure over time (PERCLOS) that can objectively detect the onset of drowsiness,” the release said. “Additionally, its ability to discern varying levels of drowsiness allows for more tailored and urgent responses. Optimized installation placement and seamless integration with the Driver•i system, complete with multi-camera views, contribute to a comprehensive and reliable driver monitoring solution.”
In addition to in-cab views, the solutions utilize outward-facing cameras to assess road behaviors like lane departure that may contribute to detecting drowsiness, providing a holistic view and situational context. Using the data gathered, managers can better understand drowsy driving behavior patterns, helping inform and focus coaching sessions and develop adjusted schedules based on data, alleviating the potential for risky situations.
Progressive drowsy detection empowers managers to intervene effectively. Advanced drowsy driving detection offers early warnings to drivers, enabling them to take immediate steps to prevent accidents and promote road safety, according to the release.
This Driver Drowsiness with DMS Sensor solution is available in the U.S. on a limited basis, as an add-on with Netradyne’s D-450.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
