Automotive Night Vision Systems - Status and Development Trends

摘要

First generation Night Vision Enhancement Systems with image presentation in the dashboard have been introduced on the market some years ago [1]. Far Infrared and Near Infrared systems are currently competing technologies. The systems present a Camerapicture in the dashboard, in the center console area or on the windscreen. While Japanese systems prefer to present the camera picture via Head-up Display (HUD) in the windscreen, European car-makers prefer the presentation in the dashboard region with a graphic LCD screen. Ergonomic investigations have shown that the reconfigurable LC display located in the instrument cluster was found to meet best the requirements of a quick and distractionfree reading. A precondition for a quick recognition and identification of relevant obstacles is a high-contrast and brilliant picture quality. Meanwhile, the next generation has been introduced on the market in 2009. Due to technical progress in picture processing this 2nd generation makes an object classification for pedestrians and cyclists and warns the driver. The third generation will use a contact analogue HUD to warn the driver with icons projected onto the wind screen.