Scientific studies have shown that people who sleep whilst driving are more likely to be involved in an accident than the control group who tried not to sleep.

still won't stop the vehicle pulling left (or to whichever side the drive wheel is on) though

This is assuming that person relaxes his muscles the moment he falls asleep. This is not always the case. I have seen people taking a nap while sitting and balancing on the metal bar, sleeping while standing on duty, sleeping while holding a glass and not spilling its contents. Sometimes it takes up to 15 minutes before body demands relaxation and change in posture.

Car is not a train, so modding accelerator solves nothing, because car needs to be directionally steered. Putting IR camera and combining it with face recognition/eye tracking is better and more reliable method. Once camera or system of cameras looses contact with eyes, buzzer and or seat shaker is turned on.

Wouldn't work ergonomically, as your lower leg is much stronger when it comes to extending your foot (i.e. pivoting your foot downwards) than it is pulling your toes upwards (pivoting your foot upwards). If you tried to drive a car that way, you would find the pain in your shins to be excruciating after a very short while. Humans are just not built for that sort of thing.

Besides, there's now systems in cars that will remind you that you should stop and sleep for a bit. Of course, no system is a match for human stupidity, which those that don't recognize that they SHOULD pull over and sleep for 20 minutes or so is a clear sign of.

Plus, as others have mentioned, you don't solve the problem of people veering left/right when they fall asleep, which is the real danger.

Most cars have cruise control and drivers will find away to bypass anything restrictive to thier needs.

There's easier ways to overcome the problem, take it away from the driver completely, let the car make everyone safer.

http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00217344_l.jpg

To solve the problem of people falling asleep at the wheel:

I actually think that the Darwinian principle - that the best adaptation will prevail - is the way to approach this problem.
The next generation will have fewer falling asleep a the wheel, and the one after that even fewer (due to the removal of sleeper-drivers from the gene pool). This, on the condition that they do not reproduce until after their driving debut.

The best way to reduce sleep induced fatalities is by ensuring that those involved in such risky practice are ABOVE the age of reproduction.

If you allow them to breed too early then the Darwinian principle won't apply.

So, don't let stupid kids drive or xxxx.

:-)

Everyone is missing the obvious problem

Go for a drive, get up to say 60mph. Hook your foot under the accelerator and pull up a bit to simulate this idea of Raaiiids.

Now perform an emergency stop.

Ah... foots stuck!

Not to worry. Driverless cars are on the way.

On the way??? There are already thousands outside my local train station.

Problem solved ...


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/74/19...ef9b8533b4.jpg