The Monte Verità voices · 01
Being awake is part of being fit to drive
Simone Gianini, Central President of the Automobile Club of Switzerland (ACS), brings the motorist's perspective to Drive Awake: sufficient, good-quality sleep is an essential condition for safe driving.
The full interview
Not drinking is not enough
Fitness to drive does not depend only on knowing the rules, having experience or avoiding alcohol. Sleep is one of its essential elements. A driver who sets off without enough rest may underestimate both their sleepiness and the decline in attention it causes.
Sleep is one of the essential elements of fitness to drive.
Three dimensions of prevention
Prevention starts before the engine does: plan adequate rest and honestly ask whether you are truly awake and ready to drive.
Sleepiness can be difficult to recognise and, after a crash, difficult to reconstruct. Information and personal responsibility therefore remain central.
Driver-assistance systems can help detect signs of inattention or sleepiness, but they remain a support. They do not replace rest or the driver's responsibility.
Simone Gianini
Lawyer and notary, member of the Swiss National Council and Central President of the Automobile Club of Switzerland (ACS). He was elected ACS Central President on 16 May 2025.
ACS, a Drive Awake partner. Simone Gianini's contribution strengthens an existing partnership. ACS brings the perspective of motorists and mobility institutions; Drive Awake translates research, prevention and first-hand perspectives into accessible tools against sleepiness at the wheel.
The international context
The interview was recorded at the World Sleep Forum at Monte Verità in Ascona, Switzerland, in November 2025. The forum brought together international expertise across science, medicine, law and road safety.
The source
- Event
- World Sleep Forum, Monte Verità - Ascona, Switzerland
- Recorded
- November 2025
- Original language
- Italian
- Rights
- Authorised interview: release signed and verified. Published by Drive Awake.
Published on 22.08.2026
Threads in the network
The forum in five minutes → ACS → ADAS: the car notices → Campaign → Interview: Michael H. Silber (Mayo Clinic) →The series
Eight international voices recorded at Monte Verità, all of them online. The series lives voice by voice, directly on driveawake.ch.
The Monte Verità voices → Go to Sleep Science → ACS, the partner →