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Industry acceptance grows for fatigue-monitoring solutions

NatRoad supportive of heavy vehicle technology studies taking place

 

The uptake of heavy vehicle fatigue-monitoring technology is gathering pace and acceptance within the industry, with the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) throwing its support behind initiatives to study and refine the technology aimed at reducing the risk of road incidents.

While the organisation notes the exact data is not conclusive at this stage, it acknowledges current estimates that show 8-20 per cent of all crashes are fatigue-related.

“Part of the NatRoad vision for zero road deaths is for there to be rapid deployment and accelerated uptake of proven vehicle safety technologies and innovation,” it says.

“Accordingly, NatRoad is supportive of technology that assists to alert drivers when they are fatigued or may become fatigued.

“NatRoad is therefore supportive of work underway at present using different fatigue metrics and other body responses, like breath rate, posture as well as the eye movement, to refine current fatigue monitoring systems to accurately predict and provide a warning to the driver well before the onset of behaviour that could lead to an incident.

“Success with development of technology of this kind would give drivers and operators the ability to respond before any sign of fatigue sets in, which is hard to escape from without a long break or complete cessation of driving.”

The organisation cites the Advanced Safe Truck Concept (ASTC) project, funded under the Cooperative Research Centre Projects funding scheme, involving Seeing Machines, Monash University, Ron Finemore Transport and Volvo Group Australia.

Data is being gathered by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) from drivers with mild to extreme impairment, observed in real world operational environments.

This brings together technology, research and operational expertise to develop an innovative driver state-sensing concept for use in commercial vehicles.


Read more about the study undertaken by MUARC with Ron Finemore, here


“This is a significant research effort to develop enhanced technology to measure and predict driver states in real-time, using Seeing Machines’ driver monitoring technology as the core sensing means,” NatRoad states.

“Ten trucks have been fitted with a new sensing platform and data was collected over 6 months. This is estimated to generate over 30,000 hours of real-world data that is critical for technology development.

“The aim is to link driver monitoring systems to events happening outside of the cab (forward-facing) and link this monitoring to other technologies available in heavy vehicles.

“A further aspect is the ultimate aim of all heavy vehicles having in-situ technology that records location so that it detects road conditions and important safety variables such as speed limits, lane widths, forward merging points, as well as inputs on congestion and incidents. In some ways, these technologies all exist now, but are not linked.”

Midway through 2019 it is anticipated that the results about how to enhance the current monitoring technology and how best to alert the operator will be available, NatRoad says. 

It adds that it hopes the data will be able to inform the proposed review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, “where reform of fatigue laws is overdue”.

 

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