Traffic Safety Research - Volvo Trucks

• August
• 6

2:31 am Trucks

Volvo Trucks has a long experience of investigating the causes of accidents and in recent years has become increasingly interested in studying drowsiness from this perspective. Medical research indicates that the number of traffic fatalities would be drastically reduced if fewer road-users operated their vehicle while drowsy.

In order to develop systems that help a driver drive safely, Volvo Trucks has taken a holistic perspective encompassing everything that contributes to increased traffic safety. This has previously resulted in systems such as ESP (Electronic Stability Program) that helps prevent the vehicle from rolling over.

Volvo has now, in a series of real-life tests, verified the facts regarding what actually happens when a driver gets behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol. The study was carried out in a closed-off area at Volvo’s proving ground in Hällered in Sweden.

The series of tests involving drivers under the influence of alcohol, is part of the Used Volvo Truck Corporation’s work on developing and improving systems that can be used to identify tired or drowsy drivers. The study uses a variety of measures, including two cameras fitted above the instrument panel that monitor the driver’s eye movements.

“We wanted our suspicions confirmed in a scientific study using real drivers in an authentic driving environment and using real vehicles – all so as to know with precision how a driver reacts both when drowsy and when under the influence of alcohol,” says Peter Kronberg, researcher at Volvo Technology.

“The test helps increase knowledge about how factors such as tiredness, the effects of alcohol and other negative input can affect driving ability. This is knowledge that we need for our ongoing development of methods to sound the alert in time – before accidents occur,” says Lars-Göran Löwenadler, safety manager at Volvo Trucks in Sweden.

“We’ve been able to confirm the similarities between drowsiness and alcohol when it comes to impaired road safety. The similarities were remarkable – the symptoms were very similar in our research,” reveals Peter Kronberg.