Method and system for assisting drivers to drive with precaution

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored in a memory that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to, after or coincident with determining from one or more host vehicle sensors or cameras arranged to monitor an environment of the host vehicle, other road users, and at least one particular feature associated with a traffic situation of the host vehicle, and applying at least one hypothesis related to at least one hypothetical threat that may arise based on the determined other road users and the at least one particular feature, perform the steps comprising:

• analyzing an out-of-the-loop condition of the host vehicle driver based on one or more of host vehicle driver eye movement, host vehicle driver activity, host vehicle equipment sensor data, and host vehicle driver periods of attention and inattention over a period of time prior to applying the at least one hypothesis related to the at least one hypothetical threat, wherein analyzing the out-of-the-loop condition of the host vehicle driver comprises identifying one or more of inappropriate off-path (or off-threat) long glance durations, inappropriate on-path (or on-threat) short glance durations, and detection of a series of on-and-off glances over a window of time and comparing observed glance patterns to reference patterns of attentive and skilled driver eye movements to determine appropriateness and inappropriateness of the observed glance patterns;
• setting or estimating, based in part on the out-of-the-loop condition, a host vehicle driver level of attention threshold required to handle the at least one hypothetical threat and estimating a time until that host vehicle driver level of attention will be required;
• deriving, from one or more host vehicle driver-monitoring sensors of the host vehicle, a current host vehicle driver level of attention;
• determining if the set or estimated required host vehicle driver level of attention threshold exceeds the current host vehicle driver level of attention;
• and
• if the set or estimated required host vehicle driver level of attention threshold exceeds the current host vehicle driver level of attention, producing at least one of a visual, acoustic, haptic information, and brake impulse prompt to a host vehicle driver environment to promote increased host vehicle driver-attention to the at least one hypothetical threat and/or triggering at least one of automated braking and steering of the host vehicle to promote an increase in safety margin to the at least one hypothetical threat.

A vehicle comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored in a memory that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to, coincident with or after determining from one or more host vehicle sensors or cameras arranged to monitor an environment of the host vehicle, other road users, and at least one particular feature associated with a traffic situation of the host vehicle, and applying at least one hypothesis related to at least one hypothetical threat that may arise based on the determined other road users and the at least one particular feature, perform the steps comprising:

• analyzing an out-of-the-loop condition of the host vehicle driver based on one or more of host vehicle driver eye movement, host vehicle driver activity, host vehicle equipment sensor data, and host vehicle driver periods of attention and inattention over a period of time prior to applying the at least one hypothesis related to the at least one hypothetical threat, wherein analyzing the out-of-the-loop condition of the host vehicle driver comprises identifying one or more of inappropriate off-path (or off-threat) long glance durations, inappropriate on-path (or on-threat) short glance durations, and detection of a series of on-and-off glances over a window of time and comparing observed glance patterns to reference patterns of attentive and skilled driver eye movements to determine appropriateness and inappropriateness of the observed glance patterns;
• setting or estimating, based on the applied at least one hypothesis and the out-of-the-loop condition, a host vehicle driver level of attention threshold required to handle the at least one hypothetical threat and estimating a time until that host vehicle driver level of attention will be required;
• deriving, from one or more host vehicle driver-monitoring sensors of the host vehicle, a current host vehicle driver level of attention;
• determining if the set or estimated required host vehicle driver level of attention threshold exceeds the current host vehicle driver level of attention;
• and
• if the set or estimated required host vehicle driver level of attention threshold exceeds the current host vehicle driver level of attention, producing at least one of a visual, acoustic, haptic information, and brake impulse prompt to a host vehicle driver environment to promote increased host vehicle driver-attention to the at least one hypothetical threat and/or triggering at least one of automated braking and steering of the host vehicle to promote an increase in safety margin to the at least one hypothetical threat.