Fatigue and
microsleep at the wheel are often the cause of serious accidents. However, the
initial signs of fatigue can be detected before a critical situation arises.
Bosch Driver Drowsiness Detection can do this by monitoring steering movements
and advising drivers to take a break in time. The required information is
provided either by the car’s electric power steering system, or by the steering
angle sensor, which is part of the car's ESP® anti-skid system. The feature can
therefore be installed cost-effectively and helps further increase road safety.
Bosch Driver Drowsiness Detection can be used in passenger cars and light
commercial vehicles, and can also be integrated into various control units in
vehicles. It was first introduced as a standard feature in 2010, in the new
Volkswagen Passat. The latest model with the function is the new Passat
Alltrack.
The influence of
fatigue on accidents has been demonstrated in a number of studies. In 2010, the
American Automobile Association (AAA) published an analysis based on the
accident data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in the United States
