The baseball cap that stops drivers falling asleep at the wheel by flashing lights and vibrating when it detects someone nodding off

  • The hat is fitted with sensors and a gyroscope which interpret head movements 
  • This lets experts examine the head movement of drivers suffering from fatigue
  • If the hat thinks the driver is nodding off, it will warn them by lighting up
  • It also issues a warning sound and vibrates to offer additional stimulation

Ford has unveiled a technology-filled baseball cap to stop motorists falling asleep at the wheel.

The Alert Cap is fitted with sensors and a gyroscope, which interpret the head movements of the wearer.

If the hat thinks the driver is nodding off, it will warn them by lighting up, vibrating and letting off a warning sound. 

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Ford has unveiled a technology-filled baseball cap to stop motorists falling asleep at the wheel. The Alert Cap is fitted with sensors and a gyroscope, which interpret the head movement of its wearer 

Ford has unveiled a technology-filled baseball cap to stop motorists falling asleep at the wheel. The Alert Cap is fitted with sensors and a gyroscope, which interpret the head movement of its wearer 

DRIVING WHILE DEHYDRATED 

In September, Nissan unveiled a sweat detector concept on its steering wheel and seat which tells drivers when they need to drink water. 

It followed research that found dehydration can be as bad as drink-driving.

Experts found motorists who consume only a sip of water (25ml) per hour made more than double the number of mistakes on the road than those who were properly hydrated.

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Researchers at the motoring firm spent months examining the head movement of motorists.

This allowed them to recognise when drivers were focused on the road and when they were suffering from fatigue.

They then created The Alert Cap, developed by Ford in South America to celebrate 60 years of building commercial vehicles in Brazil.

The vehicle company is targeting truckers in Brazil because it is considered a particularly dangerous job due to working conditions in the country. 

Research found 11 per cent of Brazilian lorry drivers, who drive more than 60,000 miles per year on average, have been in an accident over the past two years. 

Lyle Watters, president of Ford America, South, said: 'Ford is the first automaker to think of a "wearable" technology to use while the driver is behind the wheel and can contribute to accident prevention.

'In this way, we reinforce our commitment to bring technology onboard not only in vehicles, but also in accessories that make life easier for the driver, and focus on safety as a priority in our technology investment.'  

The hat is still at prototype stage but when completed Ford is expected to put it into full-scale production.

This is not the first time that smart technology has been created to improve the safety of drivers. 

The vehicle company is targeting truckers in Brazil because it is considered a particularly dangerous job due to working conditions in the country. Researchers at the motoring firm spent months examining the head movement of motorists

The vehicle company is targeting truckers in Brazil because it is considered a particularly dangerous job due to working conditions in the country. Researchers at the motoring firm spent months examining the head movement of motorists

Research found 11 per cent of Brazilian lorry drivers, who drive more than 60,000 miles per year on average, have been in an accident over the past two years. Ford's research allowed them to recognise when drivers are suffering from fatigue and respond appropriately

Research found 11 per cent of Brazilian lorry drivers, who drive more than 60,000 miles per year on average, have been in an accident over the past two years. Ford's research allowed them to recognise when drivers are suffering from fatigue and respond appropriately

In September, Nissan unveiled a sweat detector concept on its steering wheel and seat which tells drivers when they need to drink water. 

It followed research that found dehydration can be as bad as drink-driving.

Experts found motorists who consume only a sip of water (25ml) per hour made more than double the number of mistakes on the road than those who were properly hydrated.

Nissan integrated a sweat-sensing technology coating called Soak into its Juke model.

If the hat thinks the driver is nodding off, it will warn them by lighting up, vibrating and letting off a warning sound

If the hat thinks the driver is nodding off, it will warn them by lighting up, vibrating and letting off a warning sound

The hat is still at prototype stage but when completed Ford is expected to put it into full-scale production

The hat is still at prototype stage but when completed Ford is expected to put it into full-scale production

They apply the coating to the steering wheel and front seats, which then changes colour when it is in contact with perspiration.

When dehydrated the Soak coating turns yellow and when rehydrated it turns blue.

NHS guidelines state that women should drink 1.6 litres of fluid a day - the equivalent to eight glasses - while men should drink two litres, which is ten glasses.

But this includes tea, coffee, milk and fruit juice, although water is by far the best source as it doesn’t contain added caffeine or sugar.

This is mainly to avoid dehydration, which can lead to concentration problems and even heat exhaustion, but there is also evidence that water encourages weight loss and enhances the skin’s complexion.