Here’s something for the “technology fails in ordinary ways” file. Oddity Central recently covered the plight of a Chinese man whose car’s drowsiness detection system has developed a stubborn, almost comic case of mistaken identity: the vehicle keeps insisting its owner is asleep at the wheel—not because he’s actually tired, but simply because his eyes are naturally small.
Your Face, According to Your Car
The story, as described by Oddity Central, centers on a driver who found himself frequently interrupted by his car’s safety system. The technology, designed to spot signs of drowsiness using facial recognition, kept interpreting his open but narrow eyes as a sure sign of sleep. As the outlet reports, these error messages weren’t just gentle suggestions—it went so far as to alert him repeatedly during his drives, sometimes activating additional safety features like automatic slowing.
Quite the safety net, assuming it knows what it’s looking for.
The account notes this wasn’t a rare or isolated event. The man, whose eye shape falls outside the baseline data the system seems to have been trained on, was subjected to the car’s alarms every few minutes. There are no direct quotes from the driver available, but Oddity Central highlights how this situation generated a certain public amusement in online discussions, alongside exasperation about the lack of customization or basic logic in the system’s design.
Machines and Their Blind Spots
What stands out, as Oddity Central points out, is that this isn’t the first time facial recognition has struggled with the reality of human diversity. The outlet gives context by referencing numerous incidents where similar technology—whether in smartphones, public security, or now automotive settings—proves reliable mostly if you fit the “default” profile encoded in its algorithmic brain.
The car in question, according to the account, apparently provided no way for the owner to adjust or recalibrate the sensitivity of the drowsiness detection, effectively making a feature meant for safety into a persistent, if inadvertent, nuisance.
It does raise the question: how many drivers out there are being scolded by their vehicles just for looking a little different? It’s an example, albeit a rather benign one, of the broader issue with automated systems that make assumptions based on averages rather than actual people.
When Tech Protects by Pester
Oddity Central’s coverage captures an odd slice of modern life, where biometric vigilance trips over real-world variety. There’s something dryly humorous in imagining the negotiation between person and car: “I promise I’m awake—it’s just my face.”
Of course, there’s a serious layer buried in the absurdity. As our gadgets become more watchful, how they interpret our appearance increasingly shapes daily experience. Is it fair—or even practical—to have to explain your features to your own vehicle? And what, exactly, will future iterations consider “normal” enough to avoid a false positive?
Sometimes, the tech that’s meant to look out for us just can’t help but see a problem that isn’t there. And if your car suddenly tells you to pull over and take a nap, it might not be hinting about your night’s sleep—it could simply be unconvinced by your eyes. An unusual nuisance, yes, but also a gentle reminder that humans still outnumber perfect algorithms.
