A driver-distraction-based lane-keeping assistance system

Abstract

Single-vehicle roadway departure (SVRD) accidents occur in many cases owing to driver distraction or drowsiness constituting a substantial share of today's road vehicle accidents and casualties. This paper describes a distraction-based lane-keeping support system, which intervenes only when the driver is positively detected as being distracted. Distraction here is understood as cognitive and visual distraction, and the focus of this system is on the latter one. In order to estimate the driver's visual distraction level, a video-based driver monitoring system is used. Lane-keeping support is provided by an additional torque applied on the steering shaft in order to regain an appropriate lane position. In this manner the system only intervenes when the vehicle has drifted out of its lane and while the driver is distracted. Test track investigations indicate large opportunities for such a system from a driver perspective, provided that sufficient reliability of the employed vision sensor for lane and face tracking can be obtained.