Vibrating steering wheel could save lives

A British tech company is hoping to save the lives of those who find themselves nodding off whilst driving, thanks to a vibrating steering wheel.

The innovation comes from the microchip company ARM, and works in conjunction with a camera that monitors eye position.

If the camera detects that the driver’s eyes are closing for prolonged periods of time, or even losing focus too regularly, a pulse will be sent through the steering wheel.

An alarm will also sound in the car’s interior, making extra sure that the driver becomes more alert.

Gadgets such as sat-nav systems and smartphones are thought to be to blame for a 4 per cent annual increase in fatal road deaths.

Richard York, vice-president of ARM, believes that the system is just a few years away from a full roll-out. He said; “The evidence is that almost all accidents are caused by drivers not paying attention.

"Electronics can play a big role in looking into the vehicle to keep an eye on the driver and make sure he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing, driving.”

Similar sensors are already being used by manufacturers to prevent front-end crashes. Mr. York and ARM believe that checking the driver’s response to road conditions is the obvious next step.