Tesla drivers, while using the vehicle’s Autopilot feature, are supposed to stay alert, with their hands on the steering wheel and their eyes on the road.
The reminder feature prompts the driver to apply resistance and pressure on the steering wheel when the vehicle detects that the driver hasn’t grabbed the steering wheel in a while. It helps make sure that the driver is attentive and hasn’t dozed off.
Despite the safety measures, there still have been several reports regarding Tesla drivers falling asleep at the wheel.
To tackle the potentially hazardous situation, the automobile maker is introducing a new ‘Driver Drowsiness Warning’ feature that uses the cabin-facing camera to monitor the driver’s alertness level. It looks for signs of drowsiness, such as yawning and repetitive blinking. The feature was first spotted by a Tesla hacker, Green, who found clues of drowsiness tracking in Tesla’s software in May.
In addition to spotting signs of drowsiness, the feature also analyzes the driver’s driving behaviour. If the system detects indications of tiredness, it will display an alert on the touchscreen and sound an alarm. The driver can disable the feature by going to Controls and then Safety, but it will automatically turn on again for the next drive.
“If you see this alert, you may consider stopping and resting before continuing. The alert clears once the patterns of drowsiness have been removed,” reads Tesla ‘Driver Drowsiness Warning’ page.
The page also reminds drivers that they are responsible for staying attentive and focused on the road, regardless of the feature. “Always watch the road in front of you and be prepared to take corrective action at all times. Failure to do so can result in serious injury or death.”
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