At least that’s what’s planned as Ford release details of their new ‘Driver Alert System’.
Everyone knows that being tired or drowsy while driving is a recipe for disaster, but most of us don’t think we are too tired and if we have to go somewhere in our cars, well that’s just what we do. We all think we can handle it!
Fact is, this sleep thing just creeps up on us, particularly when we are bored, such as being on a long motorway journey. First off, we lose concentration and frankly, even by then, we shouldn’t be behind the wheel, but many drivers still ignore this believing they are OK, but as we all know that’s not the case as hundreds of drivers who thought they would be ok, are involved in crashes as a result of falling asleep at the wheel.
Now whilst nothing can prevent a driver getting into their cars and driving whilst tired, and there is no breathalyser type device that says your sleepy, but Ford have come up with some technological stuff that’s at least going to help.
The ‘Driver Alert System’ works by using a small forward facing camera fitted on the back of the rear view mirror and connected to an on-board computer. Apparently, when drivers are getting drowsy, they begin to drift offline and make sudden steering inputs to correct it and the ‘Driver Alert System’ picks those movements up. The system also looks at the road ahead, predicting where the car should be positioned in relation to the road markings, compares that to where the vehicle is and if Mr. Computer isn’t happy, well it issues a warning designed to get the drivers attention and make them realise that they are in a potentially dangerous situation.
Great stuff this isn’t it and it could be yours for just £750 if you buy a Focus, Mondeo, C-Max, Galaxy or S-Max. The system includes Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Aid, Traffic Sign Recognition, Active City Stop and something called ‘auto high beam and blind spot information system’ (BLIS) to me and you!
Whilst the systems on a car can’t of course prevent us from having an accident, its great to see the lengths car manufacturers are going to, to make us all safer on the roads and lets face it, even if you haven’t got this system on your car, we are all winners, as the car coming towards you with the drowsy driver might just have this and because of that, he’s less likely to hit you! So well done Ford.
