Volvo Will Put Cameras Inside its Cars to Monitor Driver Behavior
Have we reached nanny overload?
Many people are still getting used to the advanced features in today's cars, from lane keeping assist and steering assist to that beep you hear every time you want to switch lanes and a car is in your blind spot. But this is only the beginning. In its quest to completely eliminate driver deaths, Volvo is taking more drastic steps to reduce accidents. Starting in the early 2020s, Volvo will put cameras inside its vehicles to monitor a driver for unsafe behaviors. If cameras and sensors detect the driver is intoxicated or distracted, it can take actions to keep drivers safe.
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Volvo says there are many ways to detect an impaired driver. A car could detect a lack of steering input, extreme lane weaving, and slow reaction times, and take a look at the driver's eye movement. In the case that a driver seems impaired, the car could react by reducing its speed or alerting the Volvo on Call support service. As a last resort, it could slow down and safely bring itself to a stop.
The automaker says it will announce specific details at a later date, such as the exact amount of cameras and their positioning in the cabin. The cameras will roll out to all Volvo models eventually. The process will start with Volvo's next-generation SPA2 vehicle platform.
Just a few weeks ago, Volvo announced it will limit the top speed on all of its cars to 112 mph. This will begin next year on 2021 model-year vehicles. The automaker will also introduce what it calls a "Care Key" that allows Volvo buyers to set a speed limit on their car before handing it off to their teenagers.
The automaker previously announced its goal to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries in its new cars by 2020. Volvo says that it has realized technology alone will not achieve this goal, so it has broadened its scope to focus on driver behavior.
"We want to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even an obligation to install technology in cars that changes their driver's behaviour, to tackle things like speeding, intoxication or distraction," Volvo Car Group president and chief executive Hakan Samuelsson said in a statement announcing the speed limit. "We don't have a firm answer to this question, but believe we should take leadership in the discussion and be a pioneer."
Considering that almost 30 percent of traffic deaths involved intoxicated drivers in 2017, Volvo is right to consider driver behavior a big part of the safety equation. And Volvo isn't the only automaker to do so. Some cars today have attention assist features that monitor your steering patterns to detect drowsiness. And gaze recognition technology is nothing new. To help drivers issue vehicle commands, BMW is introducing it on the iNext with a camera integrated into the instrument cluster. But should driver monitoring involve something as potentially invasive as cameras inside the vehicle that can tattle on you? And how would Volvo protect your privacy? Do consumers want this technology? Those are the lingering questions.
Source: Volvo
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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