Driving can be tense, no matter what sort of circumstance you're in. Whether it be someone cutting you off, or if you're at high speed and someone brakes all a sudden. Which is why, concentrating is key, and sometimes silence, no phone calls, no music is the absolute way to go.
Ford's new system monitors the driver's vitals, using temperature and heart rate sensors mounted on the steering wheel and a breathing rate monitor that's been integrated into the seatbelt. Jeff Greenberg from Ford's Research and Innovation explains why they are doing this to Wired:
"Modern cars have rapidly evolved to have an astonishing degree of awareness about traffic and the environment, using radars and other sensing technology to create a sort of sixth sense for the driver. Our researchers are extending that sixth sense to include being aware of the driver by using biometrics—sensing heart rate and breathing. The next step is building in intelligence so that the car can help reduce workload in demanding situations or when high driver stress levels are present."
As to when the tech will actually make it into a real car is still unknown for now, but what a way to enhance vehicle safety systems aside from things like lane departure and low speed emergency auto braking. Check out the video below: [Wired]
