Australia Falls Behind in Adoption of AI Car Safety Technology

An Australian AI firm is working with global brands like BMW and GM to reduce car accidents, yet its advanced driver monitoring systems are still not available in vehicles on Australian roads. Designed to reduce fatigue and distraction, this technology has seen widespread adoption in Europe and the US. This raises concerns about why Australian drivers are missing out on its potential life-saving benefits.

Seeing Machines, a company born out of the Australian National University over 20 years ago, develops in-vehicle systems that use computer vision and machine learning to detect signs of driver fatigue, distraction or lack of attention. The company has achieved international success, with its technology installed in about three million vehicles across the US and Europe. It collaborates with companies such as Qantas, Emirates and a leading self-driving car provider in North America.

Despite these global achievements, Australia is falling behind. In contrast to Europe where, from mid-2024, all new cars, trucks and buses must be fitted with driver distraction detection systems, there is no similar mandate in Australia. Although Victoria was once a global leader in road safety by being the first to mandate seatbelts, the country has not kept up with rapid developments in automotive safety technology.

The idea behind the technology is not entirely new. Car manufacturers like Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz have used simple fatigue alerts, such as coffee cup icons, for some time. However, these systems rely on how long someone has been driving rather than real-time monitoring of driver behavior. Seeing Machines takes a more advanced approach. Its system uses cameras and AI to track head and eye movements, alerting drivers when necessary. In commercial fleets, the system can also notify managers if a problem arises.

As challenges with self-driving technology continue to surface, like Tesla’s robotaxis in Texas causing traffic disruptions, it is clear that monitoring both human drivers and vehicle systems remains critical. Seeing Machines is already supplying this technology to autonomous vehicle providers, where it helps ensure human supervisors stay alert in semi-autonomous driving conditions.

There has been some progress in Australia. The national ANCAP safety rating system will begin assigning points to cars that include driver attention monitoring, although this is voluntary and depends on individual manufacturers. Industry experts argue that regulation is needed to make such technology standard in all new vehicles, not just premium models, so that all drivers have equal access to this safety feature.

Luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz have begun showcasing driver monitoring systems built with Seeing Machines technology, including live demonstrations in Melbourne. The goal is to expand these offerings locally through software updates, but rollout across the market remains slow and timelines are still uncertain.

Source: The Australian, Seeing Machines, Valeo