Does a driver monitoring system make a vehicle safer?

Every year, there are new safety features to try to convince you that one car is superior to another. While everyone wants a safe vehicle, particular features seem to provide more benefits than others.

Some of the more recent features include lane assist technology to let you know you have drifted out of your lane, and intelligent cruise control to help you maintain your distance while cruising. This year, one of the newest features on the market is a driver monitoring system to help you stay alert behind the wheel.

Here’s what driver monitoring systems add to the overall safety of your driving experience.

What does the system monitor, and how does it do it?

One of the leading causes of traffic accidents is distracted driving. Inattentiveness extends far beyond cell phones and can be a problem for any motorist since safe driving means being able to pay attention to many things at the same time.

Monitoring systems use a combination of computers and cameras to watch for signs that the driver is not focused on the road. These systems use infrared cameras to track head and eye movements to ensure the driver is engaged in the task at hand.

What next?

Merely noticing that a driver is inattentive is not enough to prevent a crash; there needs to be some action that supports the information. When Consumer Reports rated monitoring systems, they found that they worked best when used along with other driver-assist technologies such as lane-assist.

When the monitoring system detects that the driver is not attentive to the road, most systems have an alert that is difficult to ignore. In response, the vehicle is programmed to take action to prevent an accident. Several vehicle makes and models have these options, but many include slowing to a stop if the driver does not respond to a warning.

When you choose a new vehicle, the safety features could make the difference between arriving at your destination safely, and becoming involved in a serious or even fatal car accident. It is essential to research these options so you can rest assured that you have a safe vehicle for your travels.