Abstract: A system for preventing drowsiness in a driver by employing a thermal grill that includes warm and cool regions. The system includes a threshold determination module and a configuration module. The threshold determination module determines temperatures for warm and cool regions corresponding to a level below the driver's pain threshold. The warm and cool regions configured at these determined temperatures do not cause an uncomfortable sensation for an alert driver. Accordingly, the configuration module configures the thermal grill to these determined temperatures. As the driver gets drowsy, the driver's pain threshold falls, the configured thermal grill causes an uncomfortable sensation for the driver and alerts the driver.