Open Access

Wilhelm Daniel Scherz, Dennis Grewe, Maksym Gaiduk, Ralf Seepold, Juan Antonio Ortega

• Driving behaviour is a critical factor in accidents today. Physiological factors have a significant impact on driving behaviour. A potential solution lies in vehicle services that benefit from sensing environmental conditions to improve road safety, such as collision avoidance routines in driver assistance systems. Stress, assessed subjectively or physiologically, influences decision making and behaviour, with implications for individuals and the economy. In this paper we present a novel approach to formulate a risk index by combining data from subjective self-reports and objective physiological measures (in particular heart rate). The model identifies stress tendencies in driving behaviour by monitoring behavioural and physiological markers. We present our evaluation results and explore potential ways to implement the model in vehicle systems and its implications for improving road safety. We discuss potential enhancements to improve driving safety and enable timely responses in situations with an increased risk of accidents due to stress or drowsiness.