WASHINGTON — Angry and tired drivers on the Washington area’s congested roads may be prime candidates for a new technology that could help curb road rage.
French researchers say an infrared camera installed in the steering wheel can read a driver’s face and recognize, in most cases, when the driver is angry or disgusted. When the system recognizes the tell-tale signs, it sends a message reminding the driver to calm down and pay more attention to the road, which researchers hope could reduce instances of road rage, according to the Daily Mail.
The camera system can also detect drooping eyelids and alert drowsy drivers that they may be putting themselves at risk for a crash or for drifting into oncoming traffic.
French researchers worked with automaker Peugeot Citroen to develop a prototype.
They say they are also working on ways to detect when drivers are distracted, or to use the infrared camera to help improve voice recognition by reading lips.