Speech-To-Text (STT) based mobile apps can aid Citizen Reporting Program (CRP) to reduce reckless driving in resource-constrained situations

Abstract

Most of the data gathering devices used for monitoring driver’s behavior require large storage, strong cellular signals, and unlimited internet. Touching mobile devices, during driving, is prohibited by many law enforcement agencies. There are situations, especially in developing countries, where people get stuck on roads with a low battery, low device-memory, and no mobile network. <a>The drivers in such situations are not able to report against reckless drivers effectively. </a>This paper proposes the framework of the “citizen reporting program” (CRP) aided with mobile apps to reduce reckless driving in such <i>resource-constrained situations</i> (RCS). A mobile app was designed, developed, and tested as a tool for this purpose. It could convert speech to text without a cellular network, capture the nearest geolocation, and send data to a server on the network or internet availability. We tested its reliability for converting speech to text and got a “word error rate” (WER) of less than 5%. We tested its functional usability and got a score of more than 71% on the <i>system usability scale (SUS).</i> The survey showed a favorable response of 70 plus % in reducing reckless driving via CRP in RCS if aided with mobile apps.

Speech-To-Text (STT) based mobile apps can aid Citizen Reporting Program (CRP) to reduce reckless driving in resource-constrained situations

“…Thanks to falling cost and easy availability of 'Information Communication Technology' (ICTs), large transportation, and fleet management companies, have started using telemetry devices, Global System for Mobile Communications, Global Positioning System (GPS), Onboard Diagnostic (OBD), GPS trackers, on-board-cameras, telematics, and dash-cams to collect travel data costeffectively. These devices are installed in vehicles with software that sends data to cloudsourced servers for monitoring and analytic reporting on the device logs [17].…”

“…But the moment they see a police car, they start driving carefully to avoid penalty points. As per data reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), people who receive citations for driving violations are less likely to commit the same offense again, at least for some time [2]. Since touching mobile devices, during driving, is prohibited by law at many places some unaccompanied drivers may think of using other forms of 'Human-Computer Interaction' (HCI) such as mini mobile Electrooculogram (EOG), whereby they can blink their eyes to type texts.…”