Seeing Machines hosted a joint webinar with FORS to help unpack Driver Monitoring Systems for transport managers. Dr Megan Mulhall shared the science behind how DMS technology can address driver fatigue and distraction.

FORS aims to elevate standards to achieve smarter, safer and greener fleets. To help fleet operators attain and maintain accreditation, they’re providing tools and training, such as webinars. As a FORS partner, we hosted a webinar focused on improving driver wellbeing and sharing best practice.

Our Humans Factors Research Scientist, Megan, explored the prevalence of driver fatigue and distraction in the transport industry. “Just under 20% of all fatalities involving heavy goods vehicles involve driver fatigue and 43% of all heavy vehicle accidents in the UK involve some form of driver impairment or distraction,” explains Dr Mulhall.

“So not only is there a heavy human cost associated with impairment-related accidents, but there can be a substantial financial cost as well, even associated with minor crashes through damage to goods and vehicles. And at Seeing Machines, we believe that driver monitoring systems are a critical safety technology that allows for the possibility of reducing the number of impairment-related crashes.”

Megan explained Driver Monitoring Systems for transport managers, including the different types of DMS technology and regulations driving its implementation.

“Euro NCAP for cars has included direct driver monitoring in their safety protocols from 2023 and this includes things like drowsiness, microsleep, sleep and distraction monitoring,” said Dr Mulhall. Euro NCAP for trucks will also introduce testing and safety protocols into the truck environment.

Megan also added that “the European Commission has had a requirement for all new vehicles to have a drowsiness driver monitoring system from 2024 and all new models to have a distraction driver monitoring from 2024 with all new vehicles having distraction from 2026.”

Check out the chapters covered in the webinar below.

Video Chapters

Introduction

• 00:00 – Introduction
• 00:17 – About Seeing Machines

Understanding Driver Monitoring Systems

• 01:23 – Why Driver Monitoring?
• 02:27 – What is a DMS?
• 02:50 – Different types of DMS
• 04:09 – Example of Seeing Machines’ automotive occupant monitoring system
• 05:44 – Human Factors: Implications of driver behaviour

Regulating DMS

• 07:33 – European Regulatory Context
• 09:16 – European GSR Requirements
• 11:04 – Euro NCAP for Trucks
• 12:30 – What would driver monitoring in trucks look like?
• 14:06 – Translating NCAP distraction to the truck cabin
• 16:04 – Distracted driving can manifest with difference glance behaviours

Developing DMS for Real-World Conditions

• 17:37 – Complexity of real-world tracking
• 18:21 – Increasing complexity of distraction behaviour
• 19:04 – Increasing complexity of drowsy behaviour
• 19:50 – Robust research methods

Guardian by Seeing Machines

• 20:44 – Introducing Guardian Generation 3
• 22:13 – Guardian system – layering protection
• 24:35 – Scientifically proven to reduce fatigue events by more than 90%
• 26:22 – Data insights
• 27:52 – Data privacy

You can learn more about FORS Drive Safe, a unique solution we’re offering to FORS Operators.