The road can be a dangerous place. For this reason, cars are being built with new high-tech features, including features that fight drowsiness on the road. Driving while drowsy is extremely dangerous, and you should avoid it at all costs. But you can’t rely on everyone else to do so, and sometimes you may find yourself wanting to doze off on a long drive or on the commute home from work. Here are two examples of technology that fights driving while drowsy.
Forward-Warning Technology
Forward collision systems warn drivers if their vehicle is too close to another object, giving them time to apply the brakes or steering to prevent a crash. This advanced technology monitors a vehicle’s speed, the speed of the vehicle in front of it, and the distance between the vehicles. Monitoring happens through cameras and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors to detect slower-moving or stationary vehicles. Radar waves reflect off objects in front of your car, determining changing distances and speeds that can put drowsy drivers at risk.
Many vehicles with forward-warning technology provide drivers with an audible alert or a visual display, such as a flashing image on their windshield. Many cars that use forward collision technology also have automatic braking, so the vehicle can stop on its own if a sleepy driver fails to react in time.
Lane Departure Technology
Lane departure systems alert drivers when they unintentionally drift out of their lane without a turn signal, which can happen if you start to doze off behind the wheel. Lane departure technology relies on a camera mounted in the windshield near the rearview mirror that continuously watches the striped and solid lane markings of the road ahead.
Lane departure technology comes in various forms that can aid drowsy drivers. Some systems will simply alert the driver they have drifted. Others can control steering for the driver to keep them centered in the lines at all times.
Advancements in technology are continuously finding new ways to keep drivers safe on the road. Forward-warning technology and lane departure technology are two examples of technology that fights driving while drowsy, among many other safety concerns.
