Driver Gaze Tracking for Automatic Lane Change Intent Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) require explicit user interaction or awareness for activating functions like lane changes, which can be inconvenient when the user is busy or unaware of the system's availability.

Innovation Solution

A method that utilizes gaze tracking to analyze a user's lane change intention, allowing for partially automatic lane change maneuvers without explicit user confirmation, using infrared sensors and machine learning algorithms to determine and initiate or propose the maneuver based on gaze data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If explicit user interaction is required for activating ADAS functions, then system reliability is improved, but user comfort and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoiduser comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs lane change operations autonomously based on detected driver gaze patterns. The driver assistance system monitors the driver's eye movements and automatically executes lane changes when specific gaze patterns are recognized, eliminating the need for explicit driver commands or confirmations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection and analysis of driver intention through gaze tracking before executing the lane change maneuver. By continuously monitoring eye movements and predicting driver intent in advance, the system prepares for automatic execution without requiring last-minute explicit commands from the driver.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If explicit user confirmation is required for lane changes, then safety is improved, but productivity and responsiveness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidlane change responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system autonomously determines when to execute lane changes based on detected gaze patterns, eliminating the need for explicit driver confirmation. The driver assistance system independently assesses driver intention and executes maneuvers without requiring additional driver actions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of driver intention through gaze tracking and prepares for lane change execution before the driver would need to provide explicit confirmation. This advance detection enables faster response times while maintaining safety through continuous monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the system waits for explicit user input, then measurement precision of user intention is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser intention detection accuracyVSAvoidresponse time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors driver gaze patterns and performs preliminary analysis of eye movement data to detect lane change intentions in advance. By maintaining continuous surveillance of driver behavior and analyzing gaze patterns proactively, the system identifies intentions before explicit commands are needed, reducing response time while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from continuous gaze tracking data to dynamically adjust its detection algorithms and improve intention recognition. By analyzing patterns of eye movements over time and comparing them against known lane change behaviors, the system achieves accurate intention detection without requiring explicit driver input.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances user comfort by reducing manual interactions and increasing the likelihood of timely lane changes, improving the automation level in driving scenarios.

Implementation Method 1

Gaze tracking data is generated by tracking a gaze direction of a user of the vehicle for a predefined time interval

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInfrared radiation detection: Infrared Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP4370395B1Guiding a vehicle based on gaze tracking data
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 VALEO COMFORT & DRIVING ASSISTANCE
  • EP4370395B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4370395B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4370395B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

According to a method for guiding a vehicle (1) at least in part automatically, gaze tracking data is generated by tracking a gaze direction (6) of a user (5) of the vehicle (1), and the gaze tracking data is analyzed by a computing unit (4) with respect to a lane change intention of the user (5). Depending on a result of the analysis, an at least partially automatic lane change maneuver is proposed to the user (5) or is initiated by the 0 computing unit (4).