Driving safety into the future and tackling drowsy drivers

Drowsy driving has long been a silent threat on the roads, responsible for countless accidents and near-misses worldwide. Studies equate 17 hours of wakefulness to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 per cent, impairing reaction times and decision-making abilities significantly.

For the transport sector, where long hours and monotonous tasks are common, this is a pressing issue. Dr Angus McKerral, a Human Factors Research Scientist at safety monitoring experts Seeing Machines, and his team are addressing that risk with driver-monitoring technology.

Guardian, by Seeing Machines, is unique from other driver monitoring systems in that the technology company has its own in-house research team of eight PhD scientists who design and write research projects and papers that shape product development and ensure it is grounded in robust science.

Dr McKerral completed an undergraduate Psychology degree with honours in 2017 and then a PhD in cognitive psychology, focussing on how humans interact with automated systems like self-driving cars.

Utilising academic research to reduce crashes and save lives, Seeing Machines focuses on implementing their findings directly into safety-critical environments. The Guardian system aims to improve road safety by detecting fatigue and distraction and intervening before disaster strikes.

“The Human Factors team are all people from research backgrounds and a mix of disciplines from psychology and neuroscience to engineering and computer science,” Dr McKerral says. “Human Factors are essentially about interaction with the machine.

“We have input on different aspects of the design. This can be from algorithm development to a specific level, like how bright an LED should be – and right up to the system level, where we look more holistically at how a person will respond to a monitoring system that can do X-Y-Z.

“It’s motivating to know our work results in tangible benefits. Our aim is to get everyone home safely; it’s more than a job for us.”

Fatigue impairs drivers’ abilities in subtle but dangerous ways. Behavioural markers, such as prolonged eye closures and microsleeps, are often undetected until it’s too late. Dr McKerral says these physiological signs can escalate rapidly, creating critical safety risks for drivers and other road users.

In the trucking industry, the stakes are particularly high. Long-haul drivers may operate for hours on end, often at night, increasing their vulnerability to fatigue. In 2022-23, Guardian captured 131,806 confirmed fatigue (drowsiness and microsleep) events across Australian and New Zealand fleets. The Guardian Centre contacted fleet managers via phone or email over 100,000 times during the year to initiate Fatigue Intervention Plans. In 24/7 operations, Australian and New Zealand fleets see (on average) over 15 confirmed fatigue events every hour.

Comparatively, distracted drivers are just as dangerous. In 2022-23, Guardian captured 521,242 distracted driving events in Australian and New Zealand fleets, including 55,260 instances of mobile phone use. In 24/7 operations, Australian and New Zealand fleets see (on average) almost 60 driver distraction events per hour.

Other research conducted by mobility platform Teletrac Navman, found that 70 per cent of fleets worldwide have been impacted by distracted driving incidents, with mobile phone use as the leading cause.

These findings come from the Global Distracted Driving Report 2025, based on responses from 421 fleet professionals across Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The research revealed that nearly 49 per cent of respondents said that distracted driving had a direct financial cost on their business; 40 per cent said it caused operational disruptions; 28 per cent said it led to safety and compliance breaches; and 25 per cent experienced reputational damage.

According to the Ministry of Transport, in 2022 trucks were involved in 51 fatal crashes, 166 serious injury crashes, and 539 minor injury crashes across New Zealand. In these crashes, 62 people died, 208 people were seriously injured, and 727 people suffered minor injuries.

The challenge for Dr McKerral and his team was clear: develop a system that could detect these behaviours reliably and intervene effectively.

The Guardian system represents the culmination of years of research and real-world testing. Unlike traditional fatigue detection systems, Guardian integrates multiple alert mechanisms to ensure effectiveness without overwhelming the driver:

• Pulsing lights capture the driver’s attention;
• Specific alarm tones are carefully designed for maximum impact without causing confusion; and
• a vibration motor embedded in the seat provides tactile alerts, leveraging a different sensory channel to reduce distraction.

“Our research shows that haptic feedback is particularly effective because it doesn’t compete with the driver’s visual or auditory attention,” Dr McKerral says. “It’s a perceptual channel that can wake someone without pulling focus from the road.”

Central to the Guardian system’s success is its iterative design process, which incorporates direct feedback from truck drivers. Dr McKerral and his team conducted extensive trials to ensure the system was intuitive and effective in real-world conditions.

“We tested prototype products with drivers to see which alerts resonated and which ones they ignored,” Dr McKerral says. “What works in theory doesn’t always work in practice.”

Guardian’s deployment has yielded impressive results. Across industries like trucking, mining, and rail, the system has monitored over 18 billion kilometres globally. In one study, trucking companies reported a significant reduction in fatigue-related incidents after implementing Guardian.

Fleet managers have also embraced the system, not just for its safety benefits but for its cost-saving potential. Fatigue-related accidents can result in damaged cargo, vehicle repairs, and even legal liabilities. Guardian mitigates these risks by ensuring drivers remain alert and responsive.

A particularly effective feature is the video footage captured during fatigue events. Seeing themselves in a vulnerable state – eyes closed for several seconds while driving – has been a wake-up call for many drivers.

“There’s nothing more powerful than seeing your own fatigue in action. It’s a game-changer for awareness and behaviour,” Dr McKerral says.

The transport industry is increasingly recognising the importance of fatigue-monitoring systems like Guardian. Regulatory bodies worldwide are beginning to mandate such technologies, with the likes of the European Union adopting the General Safety Regulation (GSR) in 2019.

The GSR mandates that safety-centric technologies be included in vehicles. It also lays a framework for the introduction of autonomous vehicles on EU roads. The legislation aims to reduce casualties and improve road safety for all users.

These frameworks are likely to influence policies in countries like Australia and New Zealand, where fleet managers are already adopting proactive measures.

“As the evidence for safety benefits grows, we’re seeing a shift in acceptance,” Dr McKerral says. “Fleet managers understand that these systems aren’t just regulatory box-tickers. They’re essential for protecting drivers, passengers, and cargo.”

Despite its success, Guardian is far from a finished product. Seeing Machines continuously refines its technology to address new challenges and incorporate emerging insights. Recent updates include early drowsiness detection, which alerts drivers before they reach critical fatigue levels.

Looking ahead, Dr McKerral hints at the capabilities of Guardian Generation 3, which includes advanced distraction-detection capabilities. “Human behaviour is complex, and there’s always more to learn,” he says. “Our goal is zero transport fatalities, and we’ll keep innovating until we get there.”

“Knowing that what we do has a real impact is incredibly rewarding. We’re not just researchers; we’re part of a mission to make transport safer for everyone.”