New AAA study finds flaws in some driver monitoring systems

[Jimmy2x]

Why it matters: Advances in automotive technology have resulted in more vehicles offering drivers an automated assistance system as an available feature. Unfortunately, some still mistake these advanced assistance systems for a fully functional autopilot system. A recent study reviewed several vehicles and their assistance systems to determine how effective they really are.

The Automotive Association of America (AAA) report provides test results for several commercially available vehicles with different advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The testing was conducted using systems that meet the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) level 2 self-driving requirements. According to SAE guidelines, level 2 automation features require ongoing driver supervision.

The study evaluated two types of ADAS monitoring. One type, known as direct monitoring, uses a camera to detect driver distractions or disengagement. The second, called indirect monitoring, relies solely on steering wheel-based inputs to measure driver distraction. Both monitoring systems are designed to mitigate any danger resulting from driver disengagement.

The study evaluated the ADAS system of four popular vehicles from major manufacturers. Two vehicles, the 2021 Cadillac Escalade and the 2021 Subaru Forester, used driver-facing infrared cameras to monitor driver engagement. The other vehicles, the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2020 Tesla Model 3 with autopilot, used an indirect, steering wheel-based monitoring system with no cameras. Key findings from the study indicate the direct monitoring systems are significantly more capable of detecting and mitigating driver disengagement, with active engagement times up to five times higher than the indirect systems.

Despite the obvious advantage of direct monitoring systems, the test data clearly shows that both systems can be circumvented to some extent. Greg Brannon, Director of AAA's automotive engineering and industry relations, said "regardless of brand names or marketing claims, vehicles available for purchase today are not capable of driving themselves." Based on AAA's study, ADAS solutions still have a long way to go before we can kick back and nap on a solo road trip.

Image credit: City traffic by Nabeel Syed

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https://www.techspot.com/news/93278-new-aaa-study-finds-flaws-driver-monitoring-systems.html

 

[Uncle Al]

As is all too frequently the case, great idea's are spoiled by the rush to be first to take a product to market. What is missing is punitive measures against those companies who's reckless behavior causes injury and death. This shouldn't be a matter for the injured party to have to engage expensive legal council and wait God only knows how long for settlement; this should be a case where the responsible agency issues a cease & desist order that halts the production and/or sale of the guilty device/vehicle until compensation is made. No arbitration, just a directive to pay. Put that in place and these companies will be heck of lot more concerned about real safety, not just that eye wash they put out now.

 

[RudyBob]

"that eye wash they put out now" added to my repertoire

 

[passwordistaco]

My car needs to do what I tell it to do, not the other way around.

 

[Dimitrios]

We have put man on the moon with tech from the early1960's, we can scan a large amount of our universe we have self driven cars but we still get daily news of wrong way drivers on the highway injuring or killing others.

There is a youtube news channel that reports video's of these one being in California almost daily. Really with all the tech we have we can't find a way to stop it or even partially?

 

[scavengerspc]

Did they really need a "study" to figure this out?

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

Hmm, Tesla updated their cars in May to add in camera-based driver monitoring to every Model 3/Y, but this evaluation by AAA used a software version 10 months old, a month older than that update. But yeah, I wouldn’t expect anything other than this result that camera based systems are better lol.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Oh hey, mor eexcuses to add monitoring into our lives.

Here's an idea, stop selling systems as "self driving" if they still need a human around. Bright idea, right?

We have put man on the moon with tech from the early1960's, we can scan a large amount of our universe we have self driven cars but we still get daily news of wrong way drivers on the highway injuring or killing others.

There is a youtube news channel that reports video's of these one being in California almost daily. Really with all the tech we have we can't find a way to stop it or even partially?

Did we have to go to the moon on a busy highway with thousands of othe rmoon missions, none of which were in communication with each other?

Do we have to dodge traffic when taking pictures with hubble?

Turns out driving is actually really hard, not something that you can automate with a raspberry pi and dreams. Making a self driving car is REALLY REALLY hard, and expensive, and still might not work. Computers are not proactive, they are reactive. A good driver is proactive.

With current tech, no, you cannot do that.

 

[Dimitrios]

Oh hey, mor eexcuses to add monitoring into our lives.

Here's an idea, stop selling systems as "self driving" if they still need a human around. Bright idea, right?
Did we have to go to the moon on a busy highway with thousands of othe rmoon missions, none of which were in communication with each other?

Do we have to dodge traffic when taking pictures with hubble?

Turns out driving is actually really hard, not something that you can automate with a raspberry pi and dreams. Making a self driving car is REALLY REALLY hard, and expensive, and still might not work. Computers are not proactive, they are reactive. A good driver is proactive.

With current tech, no, you cannot do that.

See just within 24-48hrs another wrong way driver on the highway.

 

[Athlonite]

Personally I think they shouldn't be making vehicles easier for *****s to drive and should be focusing on better driver training