Saab Currently Testing Prototype Infra-red Safety System in Saab 9-3

Saab announced that its engineers are developing a new safety system which uses a pair of miniature cameras with infra-red lenses to monitor a driver's head and eye movements. It detects whenever the driver looks away from what it deems the "primary attention zone" - the center part of windscreen directly in front - and is instructed to react if the eyes and head don't come back to the straight-ahead position within a few seconds.

According to Saab Motors a warning buzzer then sounds, and if the driver doesn't react and respond, then a braking pulse is sent through the Saab ESP braking system. The computer software is engineered to distinguish between busy city driving and open road or highway driving.

The camera system is still in a prototype stage and is being tested in a Saab 9-3. The detection system could have further applications. For instance, Saab stated, it might be able to monitor the driver's eyelid movements and detect any signs of possible dozing off. Other applications could be to store infra-red facial images, recognize individual drivers at the wheel of the same car, and also adjust everything from seat, steering wheel and mirror positions to preferred radio stations.