Munich/Schwalbach - Car designers are currently probing new ways to avoid one of the most dangerous hazards of night driving - drowsiness and falling asleep at the wheel.
Many car crashes can be traced back to such momentary losses of concentration, a sudden sleepiness which can easily cause a motorist to veer onto the wrong side of the road with potentially fatal consequences.
To combat this phenomenon, an increasing number of new vehicles are being fitted with a bleeper that can alert the driver before he or she succumbs.
Now scientists are looking into a new way to fight grogginess at the wheel using high-intensity interior lights which prevent the driver from getting tired in the first place.