Stress influence on drivers identified by monitoring galvanic skin resistance and heart rate variability

The impact of stress caused by car driving on heart's activity has been extensively studied for over 60 years. In the present paper, we studied the influence of stress on drivers' heart rate. The algorithm was applied on electrocardiographic signals from 6 drivers, and the resulting heart rate variability parameters in the time domain were analyzed comparing those in normal conditions to those in stress conditions. The results show that the stress and heart activity are closely correlated. This finding could be used to create an intelligent system in the car that would monitor the heart rate and adapt the conditions in the cabin in order to relax the driver, or in case of emergency, alert the nearest hospital.