Honda to develop AI that could detect cognitive impairment in drivers

Washington - Honda plans to develop artificial intelligence technology that could detect abnormalities in a driver's physical condition by analysing how the vehicle is travelling and any subtle changes in the driver.

The technology is expected to reduce accidents involving elderly drivers, which has become a social problem, and also to help detect dementia or glaucoma at an early stage. The carmaker aims to put it to practical use around 2030.

Working with the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Honda is using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and sensors to analyse a driver's brain and eye movements. The technology is designed to identify the cause of errors that lead to accidents by detecting the driver's line of sight using a camera to warn them when a pedestrian is crossing the street.

By applying this technology, Honda will develop a function that signals a decline in cognitive function or spatial perception when its sensor detects the car veering or getting close to other vehicles.

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