The redesigned 2016 model-year Nissan Maxima will offer Nissan's new Driver Attention Alert (DAA) system, which analyzes steering behavior to provide an alert if signs of drowsiness or inattention are detected.

An amber coffee cup icon on the instrument panel display lets the driver know when it’s probably time to take a break from driving.

DAA will be available on the 2016 Maxima as part of a suite of safety and driving aids. The system is available now on the new 2015 Murano crossover.

The debut of the new DAA-enabled Maxima at the New York International Auto Show is just in time for “Drowsy Driving Awareness Day” on April 6.

According to a November 2014 study by the AAA Foundation, 37 percent of drivers report having fallen asleep while driving at some point in their lives – with 11 percent having done so in the past year. Results of the survey suggest that drowsy drivers are also involved in approximately 300,000 crashes each year, 6,400 of them fatal. Driver fatigue and inattention also pose safety concerns, which the Driver Attention Alert system is intended to address.

Nissan’s DAA system adapts to each individual driver. The system monitors steering input patterns, using steering angle sensors, during a period of driving to establish a baseline. It continuously compares subsequent driving patterns to the baseline, using a statistical analysis of steering correction errors.

If the system detects driving behavior consistent with a drowsy driver, DAA uses an audible chime sound and displays the amber coffee cup with a message reading, “Take a break?” in the vehicle’s information display. The DAA includes logic to help address false detection, road curvatures, lane changes, braking and even poor road conditions.

DAA automatically resets when the engine is turned off. The driver can also opt to turn off DAA.

Nissan has also announced pricing for the 2016 Maxima, which will start at $33,235. The Maxima will be offered in five trims including the S, SV, SL, SR, and Platinum.