Method for providing drowsiness alerts in vehicles
A method and system for providing a drowsiness alert to a driver of a vehicle are described. A drowsiness estimate data set is compared to historical drowsiness data from multiple vehicles. The drowsiness estimate data set includes current drive context data, and traffic situation data indicative of a present traffic situation for the vehicle and the position of the vehicle. The previously collected drowsiness estimate data sets of the historical drowsiness data are each associated with a determined degree of drowsiness of the respective driver when the previous drowsiness estimate data sets were collected. The degree of drowsiness is determined by a drowsiness detection system in the respective vehicle. A drowsiness risk measure is subsequently determined and, based on the drowsiness risk measure and based on a current drive context for the vehicle, a drowsiness alert may be provided to the driver.
1. A method for providing a drowsiness alert to a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:
collecting current drive context data for the vehicle including driver behavior data for the driver and a driving duration for the driver;
collecting traffic situation data indicative of at least a traffic intensity level for the vehicle and a time of day;
determining a position of the vehicle;
wherein the current drive context data, the traffic situation data, and the position form a drowsiness estimate data set;
providing the drowsiness estimate data set to a remote server;
receiving, by the vehicle, a drowsiness risk measure determined based on a comparison of the drowsiness estimate data set to historical drowsiness data including previously collected drowsiness estimate data sets from a plurality of vehicles and associated determined degree of drowsiness of the respective driver when the previous drowsiness estimate data sets were collected in the plurality of vehicles, the determined degree of drowsiness determined by a drowsiness detection system in the respective vehicle;
providing a drowsiness alert to the driver based on at least the drowsiness risk measure.
2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
uploading, from the vehicle, the drowsiness estimate data set to a remote server;
receiving, from the server, the drowsiness risk measure, wherein,
based on the drowsiness risk measure, and based on a determined present degree of drowsiness of the driver, provide the drowsiness alert to the driver.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the drowsiness risk measure is only received when the drowsiness risk measure indicates elevated levels for risk of drowsiness.
4. The method according to claim 2 wherein comparing the drowsiness estimate data set to historical drowsiness data from a plurality of vehicles and determining a drowsiness risk measure are performed on the server.
5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising requesting a drowsiness risk measure from the server when a degree of drowsiness of the driver in the vehicle is indicative of a drowsy driver.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises comparing the vehicle position with positions of road segments indicated as false drowsiness road segments, wherein a false drowsiness road segment is identified based on that drowsiness has been repeatedly indicated in historical drowsiness data based on at least one of driver behavior data and traffic situation data at the same time as the determined degree of drowsiness indicates an alert driver.
7. The method according to claim 6 wherein when it is determined that a road segment is a false drowsiness road segment, the drowsiness alert is not provided to the driver of the vehicle.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein, when a degree of drowsiness of the driver determined by a drowsiness detection system in the vehicle is indicative of a drowsy driver, the determination of the false drowsiness road segment is overridden and the drowsiness alert is provided to the driver by the drowsiness detection system.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the current drive context is at least one of road type, time of day, length of current drive journey, degree of assisted driving used in the current drive journey.
10. A system for providing a drowsiness alert to a driver of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a drive context data collecting unit for collecting drive context data including driver behavior data and a driving duration for the driver;
a traffic situation data collecting unit for collecting traffic situation data indicative of at least a traffic intensity level for the vehicle;
a position determining unit for determining a position of the vehicle;
a wireless communication unit for communicating with a remote server; and
a system control unit for providing a drowsiness estimate data set to the remote server, the drowsiness estimate data set comprising drive context data and a position of the vehicle;
wherein the remote server comprises a server control unit for comparing the drowsiness estimate data set to historical drowsiness data including previously collected drowsiness estimate data sets from a plurality of vehicles and associated determined degree of drowsiness of the respective driver when the previous drowsiness estimate data sets were collected in the plurality of vehicles, the determined degree of drowsiness determined by a drowsiness detection system in the respective vehicle, and for determining a drowsiness risk measure based on the comparison;
wherein the system control unit is configured to receive the drowsiness risk measure from the remote server and provide a drowsiness alert to the driver based on at least the drowsiness risk measure.
11. The system according to claim 10 further comprising a drowsiness detections system for detecting drowsiness of the driver of the vehicle.
12. A vehicle comprising a control unit and a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly connect to a remote server, wherein the control unit is configured to:
collect current drive context data for the vehicle including driver behavior data for the driver and a driving duration for the driver;
collect traffic situation data indicative of at least a traffic intensity level for the vehicle and a time of day;
determine a position of the vehicle, wherein the driver behavior data, the traffic situation data, and the position form a drowsiness estimate data set;
provide the drowsiness estimate data set to the remote server, wherein the remote server is operable to compare the drowsiness estimate data set to historical drowsiness estimate data sets from a plurality of vehicles, and determine a drowsiness risk measure based on the comparison and based on associated determined degree of drowsiness of the respective driver when the previous drowsiness estimate data sets were collected in the plurality of vehicles, the determined degree of drowsiness being determined by a drowsiness detection system in the respective vehicle; and
provide a drowsiness alert to the driver based on the drowsiness risk measure.
13. The vehicle according to claim 12 wherein the drowsiness risk measure is received by the vehicle from the remote server.
14. The vehicle according to claim 12 further comprising a global positioning system for determining the position of the vehicle, where the control unit receives data indicative of the position from the global positioning system.