Toyota Developing Vehicles That Gauge a Driver’s Mood

Posted on April 23, 2012

Could your happiness be directly tied to how well you pilot your vehicle?

Toyota thinks so, and they’re trying to help your driving habits remain steady.  Since 2006, the company has been working on a form of in-car technology that they say will be able to gauge a person’s mood when he or she gets behind the wheel of an automobile.  Using this mood as a guide, the vehicle will then theoretically be able to adjust its various warning systems to accommodate lapses in response times due to being in a bad mood.  Toyota has said that their research shows an angry or sad person has poor reaction times.

This system works by implementing camera technology that automatically scans a driver’s face to determine mood.  The camera monitors the position of the driver in the seat as well as 238 distinct points on the person’s face.  Having sunglasses or a beard should not be an impediment to the technology.

Toyota believes that, at their current rate of research, testing should be complete within two or three years.  From there, it’s another three to four years until the technology could be placed into production on consumer-ready automobiles.

As a personal injury attorney in San Bernardino, I never cease to be amazed by the technologically advanced safety features in vehicles.  I hope as a San Bernardino car accident attorney that this technology can save lives and make the commute a more pleasant experience all around.

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