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The natural vibrations of cars make people sleepy, affecting levels of concentration and alertness only 15 minutes after drivers get behind the wheel, according to a study.
With about 20% of fatal road accidents their findings can be used by automakers to improve car seat design to help drivers stay awake.
The effects of physical vibration on drivers were not well understood, despite growing evidence that vibration contributes to feelings of drowsiness.
"When you're tired, you do not need much to start shaking your head," said Stephen Robinson of RMIT University in Australia. "Our study shows constant low frequency vibrations – the kind of vibrations we experience when we drive a car "From 15 minutes drive up, drowsiness is already starting to be felt, but in half an hour, it makes a big difference." To improve safety We hope that future car seat designs will incorporate features that will disrupt this slowing effect and combat vibration-induced sleepiness, "he added.
Re The researchers tested 15 volunteers in a virtual simulator that reproduces the driving experience on a monotonous two-lane highway
The simulator was installed on a platform that can be put into operation at different frequencies, volunteers being tested twice. at low frequency (4-7 Hz) and once without vibration
Vibration-induced fatigue makes it more psychologically and physiologically difficult to perform mental tasks, so the body's nervous system is active for compensate, causing changes in the heart rate. By examining the variability of the heart rate (HRV) of the volunteers, the researchers were able to obtain an objective measure of the drowsiness they felt as the 60-minute test progressed.
Within 15 minutes of the start of the test showed signs of drowsiness. Within 30 minutes, drowsiness was important, requiring considerable effort to maintain alertness and cognitive performance.
Drowsiness increased gradually during the test, reaching a maximum at 60 minutes.
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