Ferrari plans to install a new technology which can evaluate a driver’s mental state, and adjust the car’s stability and power-control systems accordingly.
“Drivers tend to miscalculate- in particular, overestimate- their driving skill, and, more importantly, their psychophysical condition, with the result that driver-selected dynamic vehicle performance simply reflects the driver’s wish, as opposed to the driver’s actual psychophysical condition and proficiency,” Ferrari said in their application. The applications show Ferraris plans to have numerous sensors provide the cars with data on the driver and adjust its functionality to suit. “The biometric sensors may comprise a piezoelectric measuring device for measuring the driver’s respiration, a device for measuring the driver’s blood pressure and heart rate, a television camera for monitoring the driver’s eyes (blink rate) to determine the driver’s alertness, a device for monitoring the electric activity of the driver’s brain, a device for recording the driver’s surface temperature and a device for recording the conductivity of the driver’s skin (to determine the degree of perspiration),” the application continued.
Ferrari concluded that “dynamic performance may be modified to enhance driving safety in the case of a tired or unresponsive driver, and also enhance driving pleasure and/or performance in the case of an alert, responsive driver.”
