According to the WHO, in 2023, an estimated 1.19 million people died because of road accidents, and between 20 and 50 million more suffered serious injuries.

The human element remains a critical factor in road safety. Driver fatigue, distraction, and risky behaviours like speeding or impaired driving are all major contributors to accidents. While advancements in vehicle safety features like airbags and electronic stability control have undoubtedly saved lives, there’s still a pressing need for further improvements.

The Rise of Vision-based Driver Monitoring Systems

Vision-based driver monitoring systems (DMS) utilise advanced AI and real-time edge computing through in-cabin cameras to track a driver’s facial features and eye movements. These technologies are incredibly powerful, as they can track hundreds of parameters (internal and external), such as:

• Over-speeding and tailgating
• Distracted driving, including texting
• Drowsy and fatigue, including blinking or yawning
• Traffic violations, including jumping red lights, lane departures, stop signs, etc

When the system detects any of these dangerous driving behaviors, it can trigger a multi-pronged approach to improve driver awareness and safety. This may include:

• Audible or visual alerts to warn the driver (generated within fractions of a second)
• Voice messages reminding the driver to take a break or adjust their driving posture
• Vibration in the driver’s seat
• Escalation to fleet managers in case of severe drowsiness or distraction

EU Regulations and the Push for Advanced Safety Features

Recognising the dangers of driver fatigue, the European Commission has taken a proactive stance on road safety. EU General Safety Regulation mandated several advanced features in all new vehicles, including intelligent speed assistance, attention warning in case of driver drowsiness, lane keeping assistance, detection and warnings to prevent collisions, advanced driver distraction warning, event data recorder, etc. 

The EU’s focus on such technologies is a testament to the growing recognition of vision-based AI as a vital tool for improving driver behavior.

Netradyne, a global provider of AI-powered fleet safety solutions has Driver•i, a vision-based driver monitoring system that utilizes advanced AI algorithms to assess driver behaviour real-time.

AI-powered systems provide drivers with real-time coaching and feedback, helping them develop safe driving habits and improve their overall performance. Key features of advanced Driver Monitoring Systems include:

• In-cabin coaching: Driver•i provides clear and concise audio or visual prompts to warn drivers in case of risky driving for the driver to take corrective actions.
• Holistic view and Analytics: A comprehensive view of all the drivers within a fleet is available for safety teams to identify patterns, driving habits, key areas of improvement and whole lot of analytics that can enable them to design safety strategies.
• Positive Recognition: Driver•i not only warns drivers of potential risks, but also rewards drivers by recognizing good driving behavior. Netradyne has the industry’s driver scoring system, the GreenZone, which assigns scores based on driving indicators and helps fleet owners identify good drivers and those who require coaching.

“We have seen that fleet companies that use our solutions have significantly improved their fleet operations and safety. Writer Safeguard, a Hitachi group company in cash management, is using Netradyne devices in their cash vans to ensure utmost safety standards when transporting cash. They have observed a 50% reduction in accidents, and a colossal drop of 74% in drowsy driver instances along with a 38% reduction in distracted driving.” said Durgadutt Nedungadi, Sr. VP, at Netradyne. “And this is consistent with what we are observing with other customers.”

A vehicle that is following safe driving practices, not only ensures its own safety, but also the safety of other vehicles in the vicinity. It is a positive domino effect on the road.

Netradyne’s vision is a future where roads are safer for everyone. By empowering drivers with the power of AI, Driver•i, is fostering a culture of safety within fleets around the world.