AI

GM wants to patent tech that monitors driver well-being, can intervene if needed

Automaker GM has applied for a patent for technology incorporating "[a] wellbeing system configured for assessing a mental wellbeing of a driver while driving the vehicle and deploying a countermeasure in response to a mindfulness level of the driver being beyond a desired range."

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June 3, 2024

Automaker GM has applied for a patent for technology designed to monitor driver health and to take over aspects of driving, according to a report from autoblog.com.

Published on May 16 and available for review online, Application Number 17/984,386 is for "[a] wellbeing system configured for assessing a mental wellbeing of a driver while driving the vehicle and deploying a countermeasure in response to a mindfulness level of the driver being beyond a desired range," according to the patent application's abstract. "The countermeasure may be configured to mitigate a probability of a mental wellbeing of the driver undesirably impacting operation of the vehicle."

Unlike some technologies, which appear to be engineered from a desire to build towards full self-driving capabilities, this technology appears to be more geared towards driver monitoring and towards safety interventions, including suggesting that a distracted or unwell driver call a friend.

The summary outlines plans for a multi-tier intervention system that can escalate depending on a driver's condition; for example, section 13 lays out a mobile-interactive component, in which "[t]he countermeasure module may be configured to deploy the countermeasure to a driver of the vehicle using wireless instructions transmitted to a wireless device associated with the driver."

Section 9 of the summary elaborates on the data module design and its ability to measure driver well-being, including the detection of unsafe driving patterns; while the patent appears to leave room for various paths of development with the technology, it also appears to be designed to allow for some form of driver assistance in addition to the other interventions.

More specifically, Summary section 14 states: "The system may include an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) configured for autonomously controlling one or more driving functions of the vehicle according to telemetry data collected while the vehicle is being driven, optionally with the telemetry data being at least partially collected with a telemetry system onboard the vehicle, and a wellbeing system configured for assessing a mental wellbeing of a driver while driving the vehicle and deploying a countermeasure in response to a mindfulness level of the driver being beyond of a desired range, optionally with the countermeasure being configured to mitigate a probability of a mental wellbeing of the driver undesirably impacting operation of the vehicle."

While the ultimate status of the patent application remains to be seen, it provides a valuable glimpse into a major automaker's future strategy along with the potential future of driver safety technology in general.