Denso Goes Retro with Driver Monitoring Device for Commercial Vehicles

Denso Corp. has begun selling a driver status monitor that can be retrofitted into current vehicles.

The device is aimed at commercial trucks and buses, which Denso notes typically aren’t equipped with the latest safety technologies. In addition, drivers often work long hours and are prone to fatigue.

Using a dashboard-mounted camera, Denso’s system checks for distractions, drowsiness, sleep and posture based on the driver's facial image. The feature sounds an alert when it detects a potential problem.

The system also records the driver’s condition on an SD card. An operation manager and the driver can review the driving status, including the number of voiced alerts, and an image of the driver when the alert was triggered. Managers also can be notified in real-time of dangerous conditions so they can attempt to contact the driver or take other emergency actions.

Denso launched the product this spring in Japan and plans to expand to other markets later this year. The company markets a similar system, which it introduced in 2014, directly to truckmakers.

Last year the company announced a partnership with Xperi Corp.’s FotoNation unit to develop a next-generation facial recognition technology.