Automotive empathy: “Detected fatigue level: 100, please take the next exit"

“Detected fatigue level: 100, please take the next exit"


Artificial intelligence is moving from the outside into your car

Modern cars today are equipped with increasingly more cameras and sensors to diligently scan and analyse their outside surrounding, with the ultimate goal of enabling stage 5 autonomous driving. But this is nothing new to you, right?

However, original-equipment-manufacturers, suppliers and start-ups are now increasingly looking to turn these cameras and sensors into the car as well.

Regulation, insufficient technology and the mere pleasure in driving are just some reasons why stage 5 autonomous driving may still take a while until large scale implementation. For this reason, I want to show you how emotional artificial intelligence can improve the driver safety and enhance your driving experience.

Emotions influence your driving behaviour

Also nothing new: your emotional state is directly correlated with your driving performance. For example, some research suggests that the emotion of anger can result in negative driving habits and risky manoeuvres. Seems logical and I guess we can all somewhat relate to that. 

Taking this a step further and showing you the monstrosity of the implication here: the United States Department of Transportation published a study in 2017 stating that "human choices are linked to 94% of all serious crashes. 94%!!! 

So let's use technology and do something about this right? Well, the technology addressing this problem is in the air and I bet you, soon in your car too!

Emotional intelligence to the rescue?!

To the rescue? How? Well, in-cabin censoring systems analysed and processed by emotional artificial
intelligence may soon detect and understand human behaviours and moods inside the car and derive conclusions from this.

Using real-time data from cameras, radars, biosensors and microphones, artificial intelligence can process this information in order to understand drivers and passengers.

The technology used to collect all the different data points for the EAI processing is evolving at a rapid pace. By now, the data collection goes far beyond mere monitoring of facial expressions and voice recognition. Sensors in your seatbelt can determine your level of stress and if you're sweating or not. Also, contactless technologies measuring your heart rate and breathing could be employed.

As you can see, there is basically no limit to the amount of data EAI can collect on you whilst driving. And as I am sure you know, the more data EAI is able to collect, the faster and more accurate it will become.

If you want to dig deeper into the technology and are interested in how a prototype of this technology works, take a look at Affectiva, a company currently working on this topic.

Or if you can't be bothered, just take a look at this 38 second video from them instead!



EAI can even take in-cabin action to ensure driver safety

Great, so the car knows I'm pissed or distracted, but what now? It will take action depending on your mood and behaviour in order to ensure your, and your passengers' safety!

How? Well you can think of the obvious one right? The car can make visual or audio alerts to the driver, which in turn will make him more aware of his mood and the associated safety implications.

Next to simple alerts, an EAI powered car will be able to ensure your safety in many more ways. After detecting anger, the car could play a soothing playlist to calm down the road rager. Or it could instruct breathing exercises. Furthermore, the car could change the cabin environment by adjusting heat and light conditions depending on how awake or tired the driver is. Vibrations from your seatbelt could also be a possibility to wake you up.

As you can see, there are numerous ways how the car could react after having detected and understood your mood and behaviour in real-time. While I am sure that this technology can definitely increase driver safety and reduce the 94% of crashes induced by human choices, one big question remains:

Safety enhancer or high-tech BigBrother?

 Comment your thoughts!


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