Maybe I can get some help with this from the massive amount of wisdom and knowledge this Forum has...

I have to prepare a little presentation about Night Vision Systems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_night_vision) being used in the automotive industry. While the basic systems used are no problem to explain I struggle a bit with finding ideas for future developement options and possible synergy effects with other driver assist applications such as ACC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_Cruise_Control) or active safety systems.

Maybe someone of you has a nice idea

Use sources other than wikipedia.

I bet you anything he is - he's a clever chap our 3J - but wiki links assist informing us lot what he's on about.

Doesn't the Audi A8 now have pedestrian recognition via infra-red, and determines if they are about to leap into the road somehow, at which point it applies the brakes. Or the accelerator if Skynet is active.

Quote from wheel4hummer :

Use sources other than wikipedia.

Wikipedia links were for those who haven't got a clue and wanted at least to know what I was on about... I thought people would figure that out alone, but apparently I was mistaken.

EDIT:
hacksawed by mr. cliffe

Quote from tristancliffe :

I bet you anything he is - he's a clever chap our 3J - but wiki links assist informing us lot what he's on about.

Doesn't the Audi A8 now have pedestrian recognition via infra-red, and determines if they are about to leap into the road somehow, at which point it applies the brakes. Or the accelerator if Skynet is active.

Any lawyer will sue you instantly if you'd release a system that automaticly applies it's brakes once it's detected a pedestrian (unless the collision is not avoidable, t_{to collision} < t_{reaction}). If at all brake pressure would be applied so that there is an instant reaction once you press the pedal.

But you are right, pedestrian detection (and warning) is being done / possible.

Quote from three_jump :

Any lawyer will sue you instantly if you'd release a system that automaticly applies it's brakes once it's detected a pedestrian (unless the collision is not avoidable, t_{to collision} < t_{reaction}). If at all brake pressure would be applied so that there is an instant reaction once you press the pedal.

But you are right, pedestrian detection (and warning) is being done / possible.

Maybe it just arms the Pedestrian Airbag and seatbelt pretensioners?

A good area to discuss might be High Speed Convoys, whereby the lead car does all the 'work', and following cars are controlled to remain within a few feet of the car head - cutting wind resistance for all of them. Leaving such little margin for error is a bit silly if you ask me, but then more and more systems can be used to determine if there is something up ahead.

Fascinating, yet depressing at the same time (speaking as someone who enjoys the act of driving very much).

Any help?

I remember seeing a piece about how Mercedes are at the cutting edge of this sort of technology HERE Hit the download paper button for the PDF

Seems it was/is called, the PROMETEUS program.

Quote from tristancliffe :

High Speed Convoys

Now wouldn't there be smarter techniques than night vision to do that. Still, that'd be mint

Interesting topic, I'd heard about the fancy stuff they're putting on the A8, but apart from increasing the size of the displays and software to recognise objects and perhaps prepare the car for, or alert the driver about and imminent hazard, what else is there that can be implemented?

Automated control of a much reduced distance to the car in front is a scary thought. Maybe if all the cars were the same, and the brake pedal in car A controls the brakes instantly in all cars thru A to K, but by then we'd probably be at level of passive control that renders night-vision unnecessary. (I find such discussion equally depressing, I should add).

I could envisage an augmented reality type setup, with things in the actual windscreen being highlighted or enhanced by the NV display, but then you have the issue of constantly adjusting your focus from the road to the screen like you do with a hud, and I'm not sure if it would be a good thing to try and drive past a cyclist without ever focusing your eyes on him. Who knows

Good luck with the presentation.

Quote from sinbad :

I could envisage an augmented reality type setup, with things in the actual windscreen being highlighted or enhanced by the NV display, but then you have the issue of constantly adjusting your focus from the road to the screen like you do with a hud, and I'm not sure if it would be a good thing to try and drive past a cyclist without ever focusing your eyes on him. Who knows

Problem with that system is that you'd need to keep track of the drivers eyes to get a proper highlighting / 3D-Projection. And it would drive all other passengers in the car crazy with a constantly shifting front screen I think. It could work with some kind of 3D-glasses, so you could even do some proper highlighting. Good idea though

Onboard computer determines gross weight (trailer gross weight gets entered manually) then determines stopping distance based upon current conditions. Transmitter (infrared?) at the rear sends this info to the vehicle behind. Vehicle behind does its own calculations for stopping distance and determines a safe following distance.

Quote from three_jump :

Problem with that system is that you'd need to keep track of the drivers eyes to get a proper highlighting / 3D-Projection. And it would drive all other passengers in the car crazy with a constantly shifting front screen I think. It could work with some kind of 3D-glasses, so you could even do some proper highlighting. Good idea though

It's possible, and in use on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The pilot uses a crazy, alien looking helmet which projects data onto his helmet visor. It allows him to identify friendly/enemy aircraft ala robot-vision and enables him to look through the aircraft (not just through the canopy) as the system tracks his head and overlays data on the screen accordingly.

Still too high-tech for the average Joe to afford, but we're getting there!

Quote from Forbin :

Onboard computer determines gross weight (trailer gross weight gets entered manually) then determines stopping distance based upon current conditions. Transmitter (infrared?) at the rear sends this info to the vehicle behind. Vehicle behind does its own calculations for stopping distance and determines a safe following distance.

It wouldn't be so easy. Varying road conditions, and tread wear would have an effect on the stopping distance too. You can't have a 100-car train do a panic stop simultaneously. One of the cars will be on black ice, or a piece of plastic on the road, or a wet/oily spot. You'd really need a controlled environment for cars to follow each other by a few feet at 100 mph. Perhaps a staggered setup would allow for some increase in efficiency while still allowing for at least some cushion of space between the vehicles.

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