While DUI and excessive speeding might be the main reason for accidents (well, not according to the guys at Top Gear, as you might know), a lot of people forget that falling asleep at the wheel is as much a reason for car accidents.

Mercedes, though taken a step further and presented a gadget that will make the driver aware that he is falling asleep. The system will be based on driving patterns usually assimilated to being tired and sleepy (slower reflexes, probably, but who knows, maybe even more).



Now entering the final stages of development and expected to go into series production in 2009, the Attention Assist system constantly monitors typical driving patterns to establish an individual profile and, taking into account factors like the time of day, the duration of the trip and steering behavior, makes a decision on whether the driver is becoming tired when there is deviation from this saved data.

Only once I was almost falling asleep at the wheel, but I am sure this kind of device will be good for any of the drivers, no matter how often they drive. After all, it only takes one time.

http://www.automotogadgets.com/merce...e-driving.html