Patent ID: 8254011

Claim:
A driver attitude detection system for a vehicle, said driver attitude detection system comprising: a forward facing imaging sensor for capturing image data of a scene occurring forwardly of and in the direction of forward travel of a vehicle equipped with said forward facing imaging sensor; at least one monitoring device for monitoring a vehicle characteristic of the equipped vehicle, said vehicle characteristic comprising at least one of (a) vehicle speed, (b) vehicle acceleration, (c) vehicle orientation and (d) a vehicle maneuver; an image processor operable to process image data captured by said forward facing imaging sensor, wherein said image processor processes said captured image data to determine at least one of (i) a driving condition, (ii) a driving pattern, (iii) a road condition and (iv) a weather condition; and a control, wherein said control, responsive at least in part to image processing by said image processor of said captured image data and responsive at least in part to said at least one monitoring device, is operable to determine driver performance and generate a control output indicative of driver performance.