LOOK SHARP; Saab's infrared cameras keep a safety eye on the driver.(News)(Driver Attention Warning System)(Saab-Scania AB)

Byline: ROGER HART

** Saab officials get a little tired of that other Swedish automaker getting all the attention for making "safe'' cars. To let the world know the people in Trollhattan think about safety, too, Saab let us test a system that could make its way into a production car in the near future.

In contrast to today's passive safety systems, like the multitude of airbags available, Saab's Driver Attention Warning System (DAWS) takes a more aggressive approach to accident prevention. Two miniature infrared cameras, mounted in the dash, monitor driver head and eye movement, and if the driver's eyes stray from what Saab calls the primary attention zone-basically between the A-pillars-an audible warning sounds, followed by a brief pulse of the brakes.

The development system we tested in a 9-3 Sport Sedan allowed our gaze to wander away from the primary attention zone for about two seconds-about the time it takes to grab your cellphone out of your briefcase, for instance-before the alert was heard and the brakes were tapped. The system is speed-sensitive, allowing more time for your eyes to wander at slower speeds, so slowing to navigate a roundabout where your gaze leaves the primary attention zone to check oncoming traffic ...