Driver fatigue poses a serious threat to your organization’s safety, contributing to nearly 100,000 accidents, 800 fatalities, and 50,000 injuries annually. It can lead to dangerous situations like lane merging mishaps, veering off the road, or crossing into oncoming traffic. These scenarios often result in negative traffic outcomes, such as a driver falling asleep and causing a fatal crash.
We understand that many of you face similar challenges, especially those with 24/7 operations or drivers in physically demanding roles. Preventing accidents hinges on detecting unsafe behaviors and alerting drivers in real-time.
Real-time alerts save lives
To combat driver fatigue, we’re excited to introduce our new Drowsiness AI. Available with dual-facing AI Dashcams, this technology accurately detects both early and late signs of drowsy driving, including:
- Frequent yawning: The dash cam alerts drivers who yawn repeatedly in a short period, advising them to pull over if they’re struggling to stay awake. It also triggers an alert if the driver is distracted and starts yawning.
- Eyes closed: If a driver begins to close their eyes and fall asleep, an in-cab alert aims to wake them before a serious collision. This feature is expected in late Q3 2024.
As a safety manager, you also receive these alerts, allowing you to quickly contact your drivers and recommend taking a break. If this issue persists, you may want to consider adjusting the driver’s schedule.
“The Drowsiness AI feature has really helped our drivers, who are often on the road alone for hours at a time,” said Hunter Wilson, fleet administrator at Arrow Glass Industries. “The feature acts like a partner, alerting them when they might be dozing off, and that’s something they might not always notice. One driver mentioned that the camera started beeping at him when he was yawning, just as he began to feel sleepy. Thanks to that alert, he was able to pull over at a gas station and take a break to get back on his route refreshed.”
Wilson also highlighted the usefulness of Motive’s upcoming “Eyes Closed” detection: “Being able to detect eyes closed is huge. Sometimes you think you’re fine to keep driving, even when you’re really not. That alert can be the difference between getting to your destination safely, or having a much more negative outcome.”
Since drowsiness is assessed over extended periods, we plan to incorporate more fatigue indicators like increased blink rates, frequent lane swerves, abnormal speed fluctuations, and drooping of the head or shoulders. All of these will contribute to a Cumulative Fatigue Index (CFI) for better fatigue measurement and management.
Using generative AI to accelerate model deployment
To bring accurate AI models to you faster, our R&D team uses the latest generative AI technology. Because real-world data on behaviors like yawning and closing eyes can be limited, generative AI bridges this gap. It simulates these behaviors using anonymous driver faces, allowing us to train our models more effectively and ensure reliable performance.
Dual-facing dash cams critical to reducing drowsy driving
Research from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) shows that fleets without dual-facing dash cams (DFDCs) face increased accident liability. Monitoring in-cab behavior enables your organization to better coach drivers on drowsy and distracted driving. While some drivers may initially resist DFDCs, long-term studies by Motive show they do not negatively impact driver retention. In fact, fleets with DFDCs often retain drivers longer, as they appreciate the benefits of exoneration and reduced time dealing with safety incidents.
Since adopting Motive, customers have reported a 57% reduction in accidents within four months of deployment. Explore what the Motive AI Dashcam and Driver Safety platform can do for your business today.
