SEAT is presenting a prototype of driver communication: AIDE






- The prototype can adapt its communication strategy according to traffic conditions, the surroundings and the driver himself
- SEAT is developing this project in collaboration with the European Union
- It represents a breakthrough in terms of road safety


At the upcoming ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) congress, being held in London from October 8 to 12, SEAT auto is presenting a León unit which features the latest technological breakthroughs devised by SEAT from research into new forms of driver and vehicle interaction.
 
After two and a half years of work at the SEAT Technical Centre, this prototype has been developed in response to the European Union's ambitious AIDE project (Adaptative Integrated Driver- Vehicle Interface). The ultimate goal is to increase driving safety, drawing from available vehicle-generated information to communicate aspects concerning the surroundings, the vehicle and the driver. This makes the car intelligent enough to take decisions that affect driving safety.


The following are a few practical examples of the possibilities featured on SEAT Leon prototype:

- When the driver takes his eyes off the road and the vehicle senses danger, a warning light appears on the dashboard and another warning sound can be heard.
- The vehicle emits a warning sound and sends vibrations through the steering wheel if it detects that the driver is falling asleep.  
- If there is an incoming call while inside a roundabout, the vehicle recognises the situation and puts the call on hold until exiting the roundabout.


These are only a few of the several features included in the prototype that SEAT is exhibiting in London. The SEAT Leon achieves these results with sensors that control the driver's eye movement and blink frequency, a radar to detect objects, GPS and a specific communication network.
 
The SEAT Technical Centre has also developed new solutions for the driver to interact with the vehicle, such as a steering wheel-mounted control to manage most of the menus. These functions can also be carried out through voice control.