European NCAP Driver State Monitoring Protocols

This technical report investigates the prevalence of driver distraction behaviors as defined by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) in naturalistic driving. The study focuses on the implementation of Driver State Monitoring (DSM) systems, which utilize camera-based technologies to detect driver distraction, a significant factor in motor vehicle crashes. The Euro NCAP has established a DSM Test and Assessment protocol that categorizes distraction into long distraction and short distraction, each with specific definitions and implications for driver safety. The report details the findings regarding the frequency of these distraction events in real-world driving scenarios, noting that long distraction occurs approximately every 1.1 hours and short distraction every 4.8 hours. It also discusses the challenges in accurately distinguishing between driving-related and non-driving-related distractions, which can affect the user experience due to alert frequency. The report emphasizes the need for further research on the impact of DSM on driver behavior and safety metrics.