The main aim of this work is to ascertain whether it is possible to correlate certain vehicle parameters related to steering wheel movements to parameters which measure the driver's state of alertness. The tests were carried out under actual driving conditions during a 4-hour trip on a motorway between Lyon and Dijon. The vehicle parameters tested were: a) steering wheel angle + the speed at which the wheel was turned, and the number and amplitudes of the wheel movements; and b) vehicle speed parameters. The parameters used to measure driver response were the theta and alpha waves of his electroencephalogram (EEG) responses during the drive. An indicator, called the `K-factor' which correlates vehicle parameters with the EEG readings, is proposed.
Samenvatting