Chapter 20 – What the Driver's Eye Tells the Car's Brain

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the possibility of using the link between eye movements and the underlying mental processes for improving driving comfort and safety. The main question is whether the mental state or intentions of the driver can be inferred from eye movements before an action or maneuver takes place. Decoding human intentions by eye movement patterns (as an aide to safer driving) seems within the realms of reality as collected data suggests. A precise program that can read human eye movement behavior, which in turn can be associated with a particular task, needs serious research and analysis. A statistical approach used to model human drivers, provides a set of mathematical tools with which one can actually identify the mental state most likely to be associated with an observed pattern of behavior. Precise eye movement analysis promises to enhance the systems performance by enabling recognition of driver intentions rather than just recognizing maneuvers as they begin. Although the wide variety of potential driving circumstances may impede the implementation of a generally smart car, the general outlook for success seems optimistic.