Why ADAS and Autonomous Vehicles Need Thermal Infrared Cameras
A Challenging Requirement Calls for Advanced Technology
Safe advanced driver assist system (ADAS) vehicles and autonomous vehicles (AV) require sensors to deliver scene data adequate for the detection and classification algorithms to autonomously navigate under all conditions for SAE automation level 5.1 This is a challenging requirement for engineers and developers.
Visible cameras, sonar, and radar are already in use on production vehicles today at SAE automation level 2. SAE automation levels 3 and 4 test platforms have added light detection and ranging (LIDAR) to their sensor suite. Each of these technologies has strengths and weaknesses. Tragically, as shown in recent Uber and Tesla accidents, the current sensors in SAE level 2 and 3 do not adequately detect cars or pedestrians.
2016 pedestrian fatalities by light level. Source: Governors Highway Safety Association
The Governors Highway Safety Association states the number of pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. has grown substantially faster than all other traffic deaths in recent years. They now account for a larger proportion of traffic fatalities than they have in the past 33 years. Pedestrians are especially at risk after dark when 75% of the 5,987 U.S. pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2016.2
Thermal, or longwave infrared (LWIR), cameras can detect and classify pedestrians in darkness, through most fog conditions, and are unaffected by sun glare, delivering improved situational awareness that results in more robust, reliable, and safe ADAS and AV.
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1 SAE International and J3016, Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to On-Road Motor Vehicle Automated Driving Systems, https://web.archive.org/web/20170903105244/https://www.sae.org/misc/pdfs/automated_driving.pdf