GÖTEBORG, SWEDEN — Volvo Car Corporation has created its new Volvo Driver Alert system, which utilizes technology to monitor a vehicle’s progress on the road and alert the driver if it detects signs of fatigue or distraction. The system does not take control of the vehicle, but helps drivers make the right decision. Volvo Cars intends to patent the Driver Alert technology and make the system available in Volvo vehicles within two years. Driver Alert monitors the vehicle’s movement to determine if the vehicle is being driven in a controlled way. The system also sends a warning if the driver loses concentration for a reason other than fatigue. The system can detect if the driver is focusing too much on the navigation or audio systems or children in the vehicle, issuing an audible and visual alert before control is lost. Driver Alert consists of a camera, a number of sensors, and a processor. The camera, which is installed between the windscreen and the rear-view mirror, continuously measures the distance be-tween the vehicle and the markings on the surface of the road. The sensors register the vehicle movements while the processor stores the information and calculates whether the driver is at risk. If the risk is assessed as high, the driver is alerted via an audible signal and a text message appears in the vehicle’s information display. In addition, the driver can retrieve a safety rating about their driving style, based on consistency of performance. Included in the vehicle’s trip computer, a display will provide the driver a rating, based on five stars; the less consistent the driving, fewer stars illuminate.