Design and Implementation of a Drunk Driving Detection System

NCT ID: NCT04980846

Last Updated: 2022-01-03

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-08-15
• Study Completion Date: 2021-11-14

Brief Summary

To analyse driving behavior of individuals under the influence of alcohol using a validated research driving simulator. Based on the driving variables provided by the simulator the investigators aim at establishing algorithms capable of discriminating sober and drunk driving patterns using machine learning neural networks (deep machine learning classifiers).

Detailed Description

Driving under the influence of alcohol (or "drunk driving") is one of the most significant causes of traffic accidents. Alcohol consumption impairs neurocognitive and psychomotor function and has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of driving accidents. Automotive technology is highly dynamic, and fully autonomous driving might, in the end, resolve the issue of alcohol impaired accidents. However, autonomous driving (level 4 or 5) is likely to be broadly available only to a substantially later time point than previously thought due to increasing concerns of safety associated with this technology. Therefore, solutions bridging the upcoming period by more rapidly and directly addressing the problem of drunk driving-associated traffic incidents are urgently needed.

On the supposition that driving behaviour differs significantly between sober and drunk states, the investigators assume that different driving patterns in both states can be used to generate drunk driving detection models using machine learning neural networks (deep machine learning classifiers).

Conditions

Transportation Accidents; Drunk Driving; Alcohol Drinking; Impaired Driving

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Intervention group

Intervention: Other: Driving under the influence of alcohol with a driving simulator

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Driving under the influence of alcohol with a driving simulator

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants will drive in three different states (sober, drunk above and below the legal limit) on designated circuits using a driving simulator. After the initial sober driving session, participants are administered pre-mixed alcoholic beverages (e.g., vodka orange). Participants are expected to achieve a target BrAC of 0.35 mg/l (legal limit in Switzerland is 0.25 mg/l BrAC) before the second driving session starts. Finally, the third driving session starts when the participants' BrAC drops to 0.15 mg/l. Heart rate, skin conductance, accelerometer, eye movement, radar, facial expression, and speech will be recorded by a smart-watch, an eye-tracker, microphones and an onboard camera, respectively.

Participants will be blinded to their alcohol levels during the study. They will have to rate their symptoms and their performance via questionnaires before and after each driving session. Further, capillary blood and oral fluid samples will be collected.

Interventions

Driving under the influence of alcohol with a driving simulator

Participants will drive in three different states (sober, drunk above and below the legal limit) on designated circuits using a driving simulator. After the initial sober driving session, participants are administered pre-mixed alcoholic beverages (e.g., vodka orange). Participants are expected to achieve a target BrAC of 0.35 mg/l (legal limit in Switzerland is 0.25 mg/l BrAC) before the second driving session starts. Finally, the third driving session starts when the participants' BrAC drops to 0.15 mg/l. Heart rate, skin conductance, accelerometer, eye movement, radar, facial expression, and speech will be recorded by a smart-watch, an eye-tracker, microphones and an onboard camera, respectively.

Participants will be blinded to their alcohol levels during the study. They will have to rate their symptoms and their performance via questionnaires before and after each driving session. Further, capillary blood and oral fluid samples will be collected.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Informed consent as documented by signature.
• In possession of a Swiss or EU driving license for at least two years.
• At least driving 1'000 kilometers per year.
• No special equipment needed when driving.
• Drinks alcohol at least occasionally (moderate/social consumption).
• Fluent in (Swiss) German and no speech impairment.
• Lives in or near Bern.

Exclusion Criteria

• Health concerns that are incompatible with alcohol consumption.
• Any potential participant currently taking illegal drugs or medications that interact with alcohol.
• Women who are pregnant or breast feeding.
• Intention to become pregnant during the course of the study.
• Teetotallers (alcohol abstinent persons).
• Alcohol misuse (excessive alcohol consumption habits/risky drinking behaviour (according to WHO definition) and/or PEth in capillary blood > 210 ng/mL at first visit.
• Known or suspected non-compliance or drug abuse.
• Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g., due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia, etc. of the participant.
• Participation in another study with investigational drug within the 30 days preceding and during the present study.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 17 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of St.Gallen

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

ETH Zurich

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Bern

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Wolfgang Weinmann, Prof. Dr.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Bern

Locations

University of Bern

Bern, , Switzerland

Countries

Switzerland

Other Identifiers

DRIVE

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id