Hugh Maxey has been granted a transformer scholarship from the Queensland university, after being motivated by his Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School rugby teammate, Harrison Frear, who fell asleep at the wheel in October last year.

Mr Frear was driving to work early in the morning when the incident occurred. His ute left the road and rolled multiple times.

He was left with no feeling from the chest down and is still recovery from the incident.

“Harrison is a big driving force for me,” Mr Maxey said.

“Before his accident we were playing rugby together, went to the school formal, just high on life.”

The 18-year-old said several car makers already had systems to monitor driver alertness, including electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors built into seat belts.

“What I’m proposing is more of a sensor of last resort, monitoring eye activity,” he said.

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“Being from a remote area, there's lots of travel.

“I'd have to drive five hours to and from boarding school and sometimes you might be up and back in one day, so that's 10 hours on the road.

“Fatigue is really a big risk.”

Mr Maxey said his friend Mr Frear was one his biggest backers.

“He thinks (the micro-sleep detector) is a great idea,” Mr Maxey said.

“I haven't seen him in person since the event due to the big distances between us but we’ve been FaceTiming and calling.

“An accident like his can happen to anyone, anytime.

“When you're fatigued your reaction times and critical thinking skills aren't in perfect order.”

A Go Fund Me page set up to help aid Mr Frear's recovery, with more than 100 people helping to raise almost $11,500.

Mr Frear's father Phil said the medical professionals treating his son were incredibly impressed by the "fight in him".

“He is one tough human being, his will and determination is unbelievable,” he said.