Denso bringing driver monitoring to commercial-vehicle market

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 4,440 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal accidents in 2016-a 29% increase since 2009. Driver distraction and impairment were indicated as some of the leading factors for fatal crashes. Denso, one of the world's largest automotive suppliers, has recognized the need of the commercial vehicle (CV) market to help prevent distracted and fatigued drivers with the release of a new driver status monitoring (DSM) system available for new and current vehicles.

Denso started offering its first DSM in 2014 for the large-truck and bus market. The system used near-infrared LED imaging technology and a camera with a CMOS image sensor to determine driver operating status, even in lowlight conditions. For the next-generation system, the company began collaborating with FotoNation in 2017 to incorporate its facial recognition and neural network technologies to improve the driver status recognition. With this second-generation unit, Denso believes it has one of the most advanced and flexible units available on the market.