Don’t like carrots, but don’t want to run down and kill pedestrians on dark winter nights, either? Honda boffins, in white coats, of course, may have the answer with their revolutionary night vision system. Here’s the science, baby…

4 Step explanation of world first initiative – Intelligent Night Vision:

1. Two bonnet mounted cameras view heat emitting objects up to 80m ahead

2. Night vision “identifies” whether object is a pedestrian or not

3. Calculates possibility of collision based on directional movement

4. Warns driver if there is a risk

Honda has developed the world’s first Intelligent Night Vision System which could dramatically cut night time pedestrian casualties. The system is already available in the Japanese market Honda Legend.

The new system uses “far infrared” cameras to detect pedestrians in or approaching the vehicle’s path and provides the driver with visual and audio cautions to help prevent accidents involving pedestrians. The Intelligent Night Vision System uses images obtained from two far infrared cameras positioned in the lower section of the front bumper to detect the position and movement of infrared heat-emitting objects and determine whether they are in or approaching the vehicle’s path.

Based on size and shape, the system also determines if the detected object is a pedestrian. In addition to the conventional night vision function of giving the driver an enhanced view of the road ahead, the system is the world’s first to provide cautions that inform the driver of the presence of pedestrians who are on the road or about to cross the vehicle’s path.

The camera obtains a visual image based on the “far infrared” radiation emitted by humans and other objects. Because it uses far infrared radiation, it is capable of obtaining a viable image without the use of a light source, as is required by visible-light or “near infrared” cameras. The image is then reflected in a mirror positioned on top of the dashboard, which retracts into the dashboard for daytime stowage.

The ECU determines pedestrian position and motion based on the image from the cameras, along with vehicle speed and other vehicle information. The system detects pedestrians in or approaching the vehicle’s path, and provides caution to the driver via a visual enhancement frame around the pedestrian image and an audio caution.

Honda (UK) cannot confirm when and if “Intelligent Night Vision” will be available in Britain, however pedestrian safety technologies pioneered in the HR-V and Civic now feature on all new Hondas for Europe.

(this article was taken cruzincrew.co.uk)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 18th, 2006 at 3:18 pm and is filed under Concept Cars. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.