Do you know the difference between AFDD devices and other safety systems, such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) or In-Vehicle Monitoring Systems (IVMS)? While all 3 technologies support driver safety, they serve quite distinct purposes. We explain each technology below, outlining the key differences.

Active Fatigue and Distraction Detection (AFDD) Devices

AFDD devices can identify and manage driver drowsiness and distraction, both widely recognised causes of vehicle incidents within the oil and gas industry.

“Falling asleep behind the wheel or being distracted while driving are amongst the leading causes of road accidents worldwide. Our road transport fleets have begun deploying devices that detect signs of microsleeps, fatigue and distraction, and respond by warning drivers so they can take action to stay alert.” Shell¹

Using camera-based technology and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, a sophisticated AFDD device will continuously monitor a driver’s alertness and engagement level, provide real-time alerts, and help prevent accidents before they happen. It will also measure drivers’ visual attention behaviour to detect when a driver is looking at the road, when they are not, and the last time they checked the road.

Assessing different AFDD devices

A major difference across these Active Fatigue and Distraction Detection technologies, however, is whether the system uses the driver’s eye or head movements to determine gaze direction. A common misconception is that all AFDD devices directly track eye movements to determine where they are looking when in fact, many actually rely on head pose to infer where the driver is looking.

Head pose is sometimes a reliable indicator of where someone is looking, but in many cases it is misleading. Particularly when it comes to one of the most common and dangerous distractions when driving – using a mobile phone. Many drivers move their eyes independently to their head when interacting with a mobile phone (e.g., glancing downward toward the phone, while their head remains directed toward the road), which presents an issue for AFDD devices that use only head pose to infer distraction.

The safest and most reliable Active Fatigue and Distraction Detection devices are those that can detect driver eye movements in addition to head movements.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

As the name suggests, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems can assist drivers and enhance vehicle safety. Evolving from the most basic of convenience features such as automatic transmissions and cruise control, ADAS now support driver safety through collision warnings, automatic emergency braking and lane keep assist to name a few.

ADAS sensors are outward facing, to scan the external environment for potential hazards such as pedestrians and other vehicles, warn the driver, and in many cases, intervene by stopping the vehicle abruptly or automatically steering the vehicle back within its lane.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems can identify certain hazards and respond accordingly, but their effectiveness varies from one situation to another. For example, a sensor may fail to work as intended in some weather conditions or when there is dirt obstructing the sensor.

It is particularly problematic when a driver develops an overreliance on ADAS, but the system fails, since drivers still need to maintain control of the vehicle. However, they may become complacent and distracted at crucial moments. This is why it is essential for drivers to stay alert and ready to take action at all times.

In-Vehicle Monitoring Systems (IVMS)

IVMS can monitor various aspects of vehicle operation, driver behaviour, and vehicle performance. In-Vehicle Monitoring Systems typically collect data such as vehicle speed, location, acceleration, braking patterns, and engine diagnostics for example. They often support fleet management, route optimisation, compliance monitoring, and overall safety and efficiency improvements in vehicle operations.

While IVMS may incorporate basic features to detect driver fatigue or distraction – such as monitoring steering behaviour or sudden movements – they often lack the advanced, real-time detection and alerting capabilities provided by dedicated AFDD devices.

The Value of an AFDD Device

In summary, while AFDD devices and other safety systems (ADAS and IVMS) all contribute to vehicle safety and management, AFDD devices are specifically designed to detect and prevent crashes associated with driver fatigue and distraction.

It should also be noted that while these technologies are separate, Active Fatigue and Distraction Detection devices can (and should!) be used to complement ADAS and IVMS to enhance driver and vehicle safety, when fully integrated in the vehicle. This is why the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) recommends the use of both IVMS and AFDD devices in their report Land transportation safety practice.

Seeing Machines works with global oil and gas companies to enhance fleet safety and operations with Guardian, our industry-leading AFDD technology.

Reference

¹ Shell: Our approach to transport safety