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A new type of assistance system designed by Mercedes-Benz, to warn the driver of fatigue and the phenomenon of nodding off at the wheel, is now undergoing a final test phase.
The system uses various sensors to analyse driving behaviour and recognises fatigue-related changes in the motorist's driving style.
In the event of this, the driver is prompted to take a break.
The system will go into series production at Mercedes-Benz in 2009. Official statistics cite fatigue as the reason behind about 1 per cent of all serious traffic accidents.
However, experts believe the number of accidents where fatigue is a factor is significantly higher, as fatigue is often a factor which is impossible to ascertain or prove when reconstructing the accident.
