Feb. 8, 2013—Global automotive supplier Continental Automotive has introduced its Driver Focus vehicle, a concept vehicle used to test ways to combat driver distraction.
In the concept vehicle, Continental has integrated current advanced driver assistance safety technology with a future interior monitoring system and visual human-machine interface technology. The technology integration provides drivers with a virtual co-pilot that constantly scans the vehicle’s external and internal environments. Continental said that combining these technologies ensures the driver’s actions and attentiveness match the real-time needs of the driving situation.
"The integration of surrounding and in-cabin safety technologies gives us the ability to create a very real relationship between the driver, the vehicle and the environment," said Helmut Matschi, executive board member and president of Continental's Interior Division. "With the Driver Focus vehicle technology we are for the first time able to communicate to the driver based on both the driving situation and in relation to his ability to react at this point in time.”
According to Continental, human error is the cause for about 80 percent of traffic accidents. The Driver Focus vehicle includes a variety of technologies that actively assist when drivers do not respond to a driving situation due to a distraction.
