Skip to main content
European Commission logo
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
CORDIS Web 30th anniversary CORDIS Web 30th anniversary
Content archived on 2024-05-27

Enhanced Driver's pErception in poor visibiLity

Objective

EDEL will develop an advanced vision enhancement system for night vision application based on near infrared sensor, a novel illumination system and an adaptive human machine interface to reduce the number of road accidents in Europe. Even though the sensors offer images as intuitive as the ones of the visible range, human factor studies have highlighted that a mere video sequence of the enhanced scenario presented in front of the driver is not enough to promptly make him/her aware of danger, so the development of real time image processing algorithms is needed. A second problem to deal with to sustain the introduction of such a system concerns the glaring effect, which will be afforded with the development of an automotive specified CMOS sensor with a dynamic response and of a semiconductor laser source based illumination systems.

Objectives:
The development will tackle the following topics. The development of an automotive specified CMOS camera with a logarithmic response, a fast shuttering and synchronisation capability, a high frame rate reading capability the development of a semiconductor light source based NIR illumination system based on multi-element array laser technology. The illuminator will be integrated in a newly designed vehicle projector headlamps. The development of an adaptive human machine interface for the presentation of the information The HMI approach is to extend driver's perception, and this will be done in two steps: highlighting the potential obstacles on the images (real time object detection via mono camera system) tracking of obstacles on the images (real time object detection, distance, speed and trajectory via stereo camera system).

Work description:
The European dimension of the problem of road accidents is known to be on huge numbers of dying or severely injured people every year in the European Community. Statistics in all countries show that an average of one third of those accidents occur in night, so even thou from mere statistics it is not possible to extract the exact information of how many of those accidents occurred for a missing perception of an obstacle due to a lack of visibility, it is clear that a consistent benefit would derive from the introduction on the automotive market of an effective and easy-to-use vision enhancement system. The benefit throughout Europe of the introduction of vision enhancement systems on the market is relevant even if this would mean to prevent only a small percentage of accidents and relevant fatalities. Accidents have in many cases more than one cause; however, even a reduction of 2-3% by accident prevention would mean a reduction of thousands of people injured per year, which shows how significant the results might be.
The EDEL project develops a fully integrated driver support system for night vision application based on near infrared sensors and on a novel illumination system. The activity tackles the following topics: the development of an automotive specified CMOS camera with enhanced features, the development of a semiconductor light source based NIR illumination system based on multi-element array laser technology, the illuminator will be integrated in a newly designed vehicle projector headlamps. The HMI approach is to extend driver's vision and this will be done in two steps: highlighting the potential obstacles on the images (real time object detection via mono camera system), tracking of obstacles on the images (real time object detection, distance, speed and trajectory via stereo camera system). The project work starts with the customers' analysis and the system functional specifications.
In parallel a technological benchmarking of system components will be carried out. Then the overall system architecture will be structured considering all sub components, including in vehicle system physical layers, system component communication protocols and interoperability issues. System components development will therefore be performed and the system will be installed and tested in a number of demonstrator vehicles, human factor tests will be held to evaluate system effectiveness and usability. The system is then expected to be introduced into the market in a short time horizon, for this reason, for each of the components of the two system versions, there is at least one industrial partner with prominent position in the market, to undertake the exploitation; the industrial suppliers involved into the project and directly interested into the introduction of the system on the market are Bosch, Hella, Osram.

Milestones:
Milestones will be the check points of the fulfilment of project tasks that are part of the following Work packages: System functional specification and architecture design (WP2), System development (WP3), System on vehicle integration and testing (WP4), Dissemination, legal and standardisation issues, technological implementation (WP5).

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
EU contribution
No data
Address
STRADA TORINO 50
10043 ORBASSANO (TO)
Italy

See on map

Total cost
No data

Participants (7)