Diabetics and road safery

[jlghertner]

I’m looking for an app developer to work on an idea of the Tesla notifying a driver of a falling blood sugar level.

new constant monitoring and infusion devices are monitored through blue tooth to phones. I want to connect that data to an alarm system to first notify drivers of a falling glucose level then to actually take over the vehicle if necessary.
I don’t need any commentary please I just want to find someone who can at least accomplish the first part. There are millions of diabetics who could make use of this to make the roads safer. Please contact me privately if possible.

 

[ewoodrick]

The Dexcom CGM already sets off an alarm on the user's phone/devices. This should give users plenty of time to pull over and let someone else drive.

 

[jlghertner]

The Dexcom CGM already sets off an alarm on the user's phone/devices. This should give users plenty of time to pull over and let someone else drive.

Thanks for responding. That is only part of the issue. An insulin dependent diabetic goes down fast as you may know. Access to calories (or glucagon) is usually delayed so a falling level say towards 70 should display on the M3 screen, with some chance that the driver can pull over or respond some way. Falling further the Tesla should be prepared to take over driving, flashing emergency lights, then slowing down and moving to the shoulder of the road. An arm or head leaning over the steering wheel will not set off the alarm which needs to be loud and persistent.
This, my idea of an app to make all this happen.

 

[jjrandorin]

Not giving "commentary" but I am curious what would be the plan for other vehicles, or is your plan to tell diabetics they should be purchasing teslas? My mom is a diabetic, and my family has a history of it so I am familiar with it. Just wondering why the focus on such an idea around "Tesla"

 

[Tam]

...plan for other vehicles...

There are parts that are not vehicle specific such as:

App: no vehicle needed, just need a phone.
Alarm: Bluetooth to a generic Bluetooth car would do it.

But which vehicle do you want its system to take over in case the driver is disabled and unable to respond to the app's warnings?

Waymo: currently, not available for consumers to buy. Even if you can buy it, you have to move to 50-squared-mile Chandler, AZ to use it.

GM Super Cruise: It only works in pre-mapped roads. Not for construction zones, not for city roads... Too restrictive. But if you can work within its restrictions, it does have a driver-facing camera to shut its system down if the camera detects the eyes are no longer focusing on the road.

Tesla: although the owner's manual claims that it only be used in "controlled access road (such as a highway or freeway), no construction zones..." but in reality, it works in almost everywhere.

Tesla's advances the fastest while GM Super Cruise is still planning to catch up with Auto Lane Change feature this year. If you are a developer, it might save you time with Tesla rather than other slow teams.

 

[jlghertner]

Not specific to Tesla just that this is a Tesla forum and it seems Tesla connectivity would be relatively easy.

in my practice we had always felt that all vehicles should be plugged into glucose levels; eg you shouldn’t be able to start your car without an onboard glucose level.

 

[ewoodrick]

Thanks for responding. That is only part of the issue. An insulin dependent diabetic goes down fast as you may know. Access to calories (or glucagon) is usually delayed so a falling level say towards 70 should display on the M3 screen, with some chance that the driver can pull over or respond some way. Falling further the Tesla should be prepared to take over driving, flashing emergency lights, then slowing down and moving to the shoulder of the road. An arm or head leaning over the steering wheel will not set off the alarm which needs to be loud and persistent.
This, my idea of an app to make all this happen.

Biggest issue is that Tesla doesn't support third-party apps at this time. The most that you can do today is send a text to or call yourself to get something to appear on the display.

If you are using CGM, then you should probably be well aware of where your glucose level is at any time and the devices are going to warn you of both quickly falling and below X (70) readings. If you have tendencies to fall faster than you can configure a CGM to warn you, then I have to question your need to be driving a motor vehicle. I'd probably expect that you are also wearing a Apple watch giving the same alerts as well.

Sure, it would be nice, but until Tesla supports third-party apps, I just don't expect it can happen.

 

[Tam]

...Sure, it would be nice, but until Tesla supports third-party apps, I just don't expect it can happen.

Even when Tesla does not support third-party apps, that doesn't stop third-party app developers.

EVE uses Tesla browser to control home devices, social media, mileage logs...

There are many Tesla Data Logger programs such as TeslaFi.com without Tesla support at all.

There's Openpilot for do-it-yourself drivers with zero Tesla support and Tesla even makes it difficult by changing CAN message from time to time too.

If there's a will, there's a way!

 

[vanca]

Not sure where this request is coming from. Would it be useful to throw up health info on the console... probably. But if you're already equipped with Dexcom sensing, existing alarms by receiver, phone or watch already do the warning function. There's enough warning as your body starts feeling wonky at low blood sugar to pull over. I'm more worried, I think, by people having a heart attack or some kind of seizure (or of course, DUI).

 

[Tam]

...There's enough warning...

Yes. But a warning is only the first part. The second part is when warnings are ignored, the app would then command the car's system to safely Auto Lane Change to pull the car over to the road shoulder, park, turn on the emergency flashers and call the phone for help.

 

[trm2]

Yes. But a warning is only the first part. The second part is when warnings are ignored, the app would then command the car's system to safely Auto Lane Change to pull the car over to the road shoulder, park, turn on the emergency flashers and call the phone for help.

Are you then put in "CGM Jail" for the rest of the day?

 

[Tam]

Are you then put in "CGM Jail" for the rest of the day?

Drivers have an option of not buying this thread's new app to stay away from jail of course

 

[ewoodrick]

Yes. But a warning is only the first part. The second part is when warnings are ignored, the app would then command the car's system to safely Auto Lane Change to pull the car over to the road shoulder, park, turn on the emergency flashers and call the phone for help.

Diabetics wearing CGM better be adept at to not ignoring the warnings, that's the reason that they wear them in the first place.

 

[ewoodrick]

Even when Tesla does not support third-party apps, that doesn't stop third-party app developers.

EVE uses Tesla browser to control home devices, social media, mileage logs...

There are many Tesla Data Logger programs such as TeslaFi.com without Tesla support at all.

There's Openpilot for do-it-yourself drivers with zero Tesla support and Tesla even makes it difficult by changing CAN message from time to time too.

If there's a will, there's a way!

And which one of these can sound an alarm or display something on the screen in the car (assuming that you don't have the web browser up)?

 

[trm2]

Wouldn’t it be easy enough for Dexcom to work with Apple and Google to allow the alerts to go through CarPlay and Android Auto to the screen? Naturally that leaves Tesla out, but that includes what, most other cars?

 

[Tam]

And which one of these can sound an alarm or display something on the screen in the car (assuming that you don't have the web browser up)?

Openpilot from Comma.ai (not from Tesla) of course:

 

[Tam]

Diabetics wearing CGM better be adept at to not ignoring the warnings, that's the reason that they wear them in the first place.

It would be nice to have a classical gradual deterioration in body control including consciousness to respond to warnings just in time.

In rare instances, it's not about ignoring the warnings: It's about when the driver is disabled and unable to respond to a warning.

There comes the second part, how to get the car take over the control in an emergency.

The technology is there, it's just a matter of implementation.

 

[huangm777]

Forgive me if I'm misinformed, but wasn't there an incident where a Tesla driver had a heart attack and fell unconscious, and the car gracefully pulled over to the shoulder? That could be lifesaving if true.

 

[Tam]

...heart attack...

It was a blood clot blocking the lung vessels which could be fatal if not treated timely. The patient drove himself with Autopilot help to the hospital:

Tesla autopilot helps bring sick driver to the hospital

I would prefer that driver to call 911 and let the professionals do their job as opposed to let the Autopilot doing the ambulance's job. But in this case, maybe not waiting for an ambulance cut down the wait time and increased his chance of survival.

But the technology to respond to a medical emergency can be brought to the market if someone wants to do it.

Currently, while on Autopilot, and if there's no torque detected from the steering wheel, the car would automatically slow down to a stop in the same lane and turn on the flasher. (Not a very good protocol to be a sitting duck on a fast lane.)

A developer in this thread just needs to fine-tune the existing protocol.

 

[huangm777]

It was a blood clot blocking the lung vessels which could be fatal if not treated timely. The patient drove himself with Autopilot help to the hospital:

Tesla autopilot helps bring sick driver to the hospital

I would prefer that driver to call 911 and let the professionals do their job as opposed to let the Autopilot doing the ambulance's job. But in this case, maybe not waiting for an ambulance cut down the wait time and increased his chance of survival.

But the technology to respond to a medical emergency can be brought to the market if someone wants to do it.

Currently, while on Autopilot, and if there's no torque detected from the steering wheel, the car would automatically slow down to a stop in the same lane and turn on the flasher. (Not a very good protocol to be a sitting duck on a fast lane.)

A developer in this thread just needs to fine-tune the existing protocol.

Ah I see, so he remained conscious the whole time. Makes sense, thanks. I do hope the FSD tech will allow the pullover to happen soon though.