Driver Mood Detection for Adaptive ESC Intervention Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing driver assistance systems primarily focus on attention levels and drowsiness, failing to account for other moods that may lead to risky driving behaviors, such as aggression, which poses dangers to the driver and other traffic participants.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle-mounted driver assistance system that uses sensors to observe and measure attributes and behaviors indicative of a driver's mood, adapting the ESC intervention threshold to prevent risky maneuvers by recognizing and responding to aggressive or positive moods, such as anger, euphoria, or sporty driving, through individual wheel braking and intuitive warnings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If driver assistance systems focus only on attention levels and drowsiness, then the system complexity remains manageable, but the system fails to detect other risky moods such as aggression or euphoria

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemood detection capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The driver assistance system is designed to detect multiple types of driver moods (drowsiness, aggression, euphoria) using a unified sensor framework. The sensor suite includes cameras for facial expression analysis, microphones for voice tone detection, and biometric sensors for physiological measurements, which collectively serve multiple detection purposes rather than requiring separate specialized systems for each mood type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system adapts the ESC intervention threshold dynamically based on the detected driver mood state. When aggressive or euphoric moods are detected, the threshold is lowered to enable earlier intervention. This parameter adaptation allows the system to respond appropriately to different mood states without requiring completely separate control systems for each scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the ESC intervention threshold is lowered to prevent risky maneuvers, then driving safety is improved, but the system may intervene more frequently causing driver distraction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving safetyVSAvoiddriver distraction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ESC intervention threshold is made dynamic rather than static, adjusting in real-time based on the detected driver mood. The threshold is lowered only when specific risky moods (aggression, euphoria) are detected, and returns to normal when the driver is calm or drowsy. This dynamic adaptation ensures intervention occurs appropriately without unnecessary distractions during normal driving.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors driver mood and provides feedback by adjusting the ESC threshold accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that intervention levels are appropriate to the current driver state, preventing both insufficient intervention and excessive distraction. The system learns from ongoing driver behavior patterns to refine its threshold adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3412533B1Method and vehicle for assisting a driver in driving such vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.07.24 HONDA RES INST EUROPE
  • EP3412533B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3412533B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention regards a vehicle and a method for assisting a driver in driving such vehicle. At first at least one attribute of a driver that is indicative of a driver's mood and/or a driver's behaviour is observed. Then, in a processor (3), it is determined whether the driver is in a mood in which he is inclined to drive risky. On the basis of such determined mood a signal is generated based on which a driver assistance system (5) sets a threshold to intervene.