Car safety is now one of the major aspects in car building that auto manufacturers are giving much thought to. A lot of safety systems brought by advances in technology has already been developed and are now used on cars being mass produced. One safety system that has received much attention is the night vision systems for vehicles. But, unfortunately, such was wavered.
After a dismal introduction of the system in the early part of this decade, the interest in the safety system has come back and it promises to stay this time. A study of ABI Research as a matter of fact shows that night vision systems for cars can enter mainstream application in the near future.
The research tells us that if the night vision system is combined with other camera-based safety systems, the result will be a better night vision system. It can be remembered that both GM and Toyota has launched their cars at the turn of the century coming equipped with night vision systems. Unfortunately, the interest of the public on such a safety system wavered. This is because of the fact that those previous outing in the development of a night vision system for the car focuses only in providing an improved image of the road to the driver. The driver then has to interpret the given information which makes the technology not so convenient during those times.
But at present where much improvement was made in the field of obstacle detection via machine vision, it would be quite possible to make a better night vision system for existing cars. Obstacle detection system like Volvo's City Safety and Blindspot Information System can be integrated to a night vision system to provide drivers not only a better vision of the road ahead but also definite information about obstacles that may be detected. Instead of the driver analyzing the given data, an onboard computer will just tell the driver what potential problems he may face and give him appropriate warning. The only thing that holds back the mainstream application of the two systems integrated as one is the cost of production.
David Alexander, a senior analyst for ABI Research stated that "Honda's system that is available today, but only in Japan, is the first generation of an 'intelligent' night vision function".
"But the cost is much too high for large volume sales. Use of the underlying object detection and identification technology from other camera-based applications could lead to a new category of night vision capability that is both low-cost and easy for drivers to use," Alexander added further.
The combination of a camera-based safety system and night vision technology would increase the safety of the driver during nighttime driving. The safety system would alert the driver of an oncoming obstacle thus protecting him from accidents at night, just like a does when it protects the engine by screening the fuel going in and out of the engine's lubrication system.
Continued development of the technology will lead to a more functional system that would surely capture once again the interest of the motoring public. With studies conducted by car makers and their partners in the night vision field will no doubt churn out a night vision system that would surpass the capabilities of the previously employed night vision safety systems. While the development of the said system relies on the shoulders of the car manufacturers, the success of the said technology will depend on how well the public will accept it. And public acceptance will be gauged once the first wave of buyers assesses the soon to be available technology.
