Scientists develop technology that can detect changes in drivers’ health

Researchers from the BMW Group and the TU Muenchen Chair of Micro Technology and Medical Device Technology developed a new sensor system that may be able to monitor a person's health while they are behind the wheel.

"Our vision is to get the vehicle to detect when the driver is no longer feeling well and to initiate the appropriate measures," said Professor Tim Lueth, the lead researcher. "When a stress situation is detected by means of skin conductance values, phone calls can be blocked, for instance, or the volume of the radio turned down automatically. With more serious problems the system could turn on the hazard warning lights, reduce the speed or even induce automated emergency braking."

For example, this system can be an effective way to reduce the number of accidents caused by fatigued driving. The Sleep Foundation reports that 1.9 million drivers have crashed due to driving while drowsy, and more than half of drivers polled in their survey report driving drowsy at least once in the past year.

If a driver is involved in a crash caused by fatigue or another health-related problem, a car warranty can cover the cost of the repairs.