Gaze fixation system for the evaluation of driver distractions induced by IVIS

Abstract

We present a method to monitor driver distraction based on a stereo camera to estimate the face pose and gaze of a driver in real time. A coarse eye direction is composed of face pose estimation to obtain the gaze and driver's fixation area in the scene, which is a parameter that gives much information about the distraction pattern of the driver. The system does not require any subject-specific calibration; it is robust to fast and wide head rotations and works under low-lighting conditions. The system provides some consistent statistics, which help psychologists to assess the driver distraction patterns under influence of different in-vehicle information systems (IVISs). These statistics are objective, as the drivers are not required to report their own distraction states. The proposed gaze fixation system has been tested on a set of challenging driving experiments directed by a team of psychologists in a naturalistic driving simulator. This simulator mimics conditions present in real driving, including weather changes, maneuvering, and distractions due to IVISs. Professional drivers participated in the tests.