Image processing method for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method comprising: capturing (B) images of an area (15) surrounding the motor vehicle (10) by means of an image acquisition unit (20), processing (C) image data, detecting (D) at least one object (40), and controlling (E1, E2) the direction of illumination (64, 66) of a light source (60, 62) configured to illuminate at least a portion of the area (15). The method further comprises controlling (E1, E2) the direction of illumination (64, 66) depending on the position of the at least one detected object (40) in order to increase the illumination in a specific area (70) so that the at least one detected object (40) is illuminated. The procedure further includes capturing (F) images of the specified area (70) using the image acquisition unit (20) and / or another image acquisition unit and processing (G) image data representing the illuminated object (40) in order to determine object information (72).

Description

The invention relates to an image processing method for a motor vehicle, comprising: capturing images of an area surrounding the motor vehicle by means of an image acquisition unit, processing image data provided by the image acquisition unit based on the captured images by means of a processing unit, recognizing at least one object within the processed image data by means of a recognition unit, and controlling the direction of illumination of a light source by means of a control unit, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate at least a part of the area surrounding the motor vehicle. The invention further relates to a data processing device, a device, a driver assistance system, and an automated driving system for a motor vehicle, as well as a motor vehicle itself. Systems for autonomous / automated driving (AD: Automated / Autonomous Driving) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) are known from the prior art. These systems are often based on object detection to determine distances, spacings, and / or types of objects such as vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle, particularly in front of the vehicle. German patent application DE 100 60 734 A1 describes a motor vehicle equipped with means for illuminating traffic signs, wherein these traffic signs are recognized by means of a camera. A headlight is controlled by a control unit in such a way that the signs are illuminated in certain traffic situations. Furthermore, DE 10 2008 025 947 A1 discloses a device for controlling the light output of at least one headlight of a vehicle, in which at least one image of an area in front of the vehicle is captured in which an object is detected. The light output is controlled depending on a determined brightness of the object. From DE 10 2009 051 485 A1 a method for controlling a vehicle's headlight is known, in which the light distribution of a headlight is directed towards an object recognized as a danger point. Furthermore, DE 10 2018 109 766 A1 discloses a method for operating a lighting device of a motor vehicle, whereby traffic signs are recognized and highlighted depending on the driving situation with the light distribution of the lighting device. One of the aims of the invention is to improve the operation of the vehicle. The invention solves this problem through the features of the independent claims. Further preferred embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims and the associated description and drawings. An image processing method for a motor vehicle is proposed, comprising: capturing images of an area surrounding the motor vehicle by means of an image acquisition unit; processing image data provided by the image acquisition unit based on the captured images by means of a processing unit; recognizing at least one object within the processed image data by means of a recognition unit; and controlling the direction of illumination of a light source by means of a control unit, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the area surrounding the motor vehicle. It is proposed to control the direction of illumination depending on the position of the at least one recognized object in order to increase the illumination in a specific area so that the at least one recognized object is illuminated by the light source.It is further proposed to capture images of the specific area using the image capture unit and / or another image capture unit and to process image data provided by the image capture unit, representing the illuminated object, in order to determine object information. The invention is based on the understanding that scanning a scene for object detection and classification during vehicle operation places high dynamic loads on the scanning system. Classification generally requires more light than detection. The solution according to the invention solves this problem by selectively illuminating a specific area depending on the position of the detected object. For sufficient object classification, only image data representing the illuminated object needs to be processed. Therefore, rapid scanning to cover the entire scene with high update rates is not required. The invention is further based on the finding that in situations with poor lighting conditions, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) limitations of the sensor system, together with other limitations such as the accuracy of the optics and other components, blur the edges of the detected small objects on the road, thereby reducing the system's ability to determine the actual size of the object on the road. At the same time, the illuminance produced by the dipped beam of a vehicle's headlights is limited by regulations in order to reduce the glare for other road users. The invention solves these problems by illuminating a specific area based on the position of the detected object. This improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the image data representing the illuminated object. In particular, the boundaries of the object depicted in the image are sharpened. This allows object information to be determined with greater accuracy, enabling better classification of the object. The method according to the invention is preferably used in combination with an object recognition system. The operation of the motor vehicle preferably includes automated and / or autonomous operation. Autonomously operated and / or automated vehicles are often referred to as autonomous or self-driving vehicles. This encompasses all levels of the Society of Automotive Engineers' classification system. For those skilled in the art, the term "light" encompasses all types of electromagnetic waves, including electromagnetic waves outside the visible spectrum. The image acquisition unit for capturing images of the area surrounding the motor vehicle preferably comprises a camera. The camera can be a visible light camera and / or an infrared camera. The area surrounding the motor vehicle is preferably an area located in front of the vehicle in the direction of travel. It includes the space the vehicle will travel through when traveling in a particular direction, e.g., the space in front of the vehicle on a road. It also includes an adjacent space, e.g., the space beside the road. The image capture unit preferably captures images within its field of view (FoV), which is part of the area surrounding the motor vehicle. The processing unit for image data preferably comprises a computer with a computer program that can be executed by the computer. The executed computer program preferably processes the data using a neural network. The recognition unit for detecting the at least one object preferably comprises a computer and a computer program that can be executed by the computer. The executed computer program preferably detects the object using a neural network. The light source for illuminating the specific area is preferably a laser light source, more preferably an infrared laser light source. More preferably, the light source for illuminating the specific area is part of a LiDAR system (LiDAR: Light Detection and Range). The light source is preferably aligned with the direction of illumination by a MEMS mirror system (MEMS: microelectromechanical system). The MEMS mirror system preferably directs the light source based on a control signal received from the control unit. The control unit for controlling the illumination direction of the light source is preferably part of the MEMS mirror system. Alternatively or additionally, the alignment of the light source with the direction of illumination is achieved by at least one voice coil, a galvanometer scanner, and / or a rotating polygon. The processing of image data representing the illuminated object to determine object information is preferably carried out by a processing unit. This processing unit can be the processing unit mentioned above and / or another processing unit. The image acquisition unit for capturing the specified area can comprise a lidar system, a stereo camera, an infrared camera, a radar, and / or a monocular camera. The image acquisition unit can preferably comprise a foveated image acquisition unit. The term "foveated image acquisition" is known to those skilled in the art as a digital image processing technique in which the image resolution or level of detail varies across the image. Preferably, the specified area refers to the area with the highest resolution of the image or the highest level of detail in the image processing of the captured image. The latter can be achieved by a higher image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which is made possible by higher illumination in the area. Such techniques are named in analogy to the center of the retina of the eye, the fovea. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, illuminating the specific area comprises pulsating the specific area with the light source, wherein pulsed illumination light is directed onto the specific area during the pulsed illumination. The method further comprises receiving a reflected portion of the pulsed illumination light by means of a receiving unit and determining the distance between the detected object and the motor vehicle based on the reflected portion of the pulsed illumination light by measuring the transit time of the pulsed illumination light and the reflected portion of the pulsed illumination light. This embodiment represents a suitable way to obtain further object information, namely the distance between the object and the motor vehicle. Preferably, the light source and / or the receiving unit are part of a LIDAR system. In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, illuminating the defined area comprises transmitting a frequency-modulated continuous-wave light by means of a radar source. The method further comprises receiving a reflected portion of the frequency-modulated continuous-wave light by means of a receiver unit and determining the distance between the detected object and the motor vehicle based on the reflected portion of the frequency-modulated continuous-wave light. This allows frequency-modulated continuous-wave methods (FMCW methods; FMCW: Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave) to be used both for the directed illumination of the object and for the simultaneous determination of the distance between the detected object and the motor vehicle. The distance between the detected object and the motor vehicle is preferably determined on the basis of the emitted frequency-modulated continuous wave light and the reflected part of the frequency-modulated continuous wave light. Preferably, the receiving unit is a radar receiving unit. Preferably, the light source and / or the receiving unit are part of an FMCW radar system. According to the invention, the processing of image data representing the illuminated object includes measuring a dimension of the captured and illuminated object. This provides information that is particularly relevant for the safe operation of the vehicle, as the dimension can be relevant to determine whether the object is a passable object that can be driven over without unreasonable risk to the vehicle occupants or other road users in accordance with UN ECE R157. The dimensions of the detected object can also be described as its size, particularly its height. Precise height determination is facilitated by focused illumination of the relevant area. In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the light source comprises at least two light sources. The control includes controlling the direction of illumination of each of the at least two light sources, so that each light source illuminates the defined area. This allows the illumination of a specific area to be divided or distributed across several less powerful light sources when illuminating a scene with a particular field of view (FoV). This is highly advantageous because the intensity of each light source can be lower than in an arrangement where a single light source is used to illuminate the area. In other words, sufficient illumination is achieved using two or more lower-intensity light sources compared to the intensity of a single light source for the same amount of illumination. According to a further development of the inventive method, each of the at least two light sources comprises an eye-safe infrared laser light source. This allows for sufficient illumination while simultaneously limiting eye exposure. For example, in cases where the detected object is a person, strict limits for the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) of that person's eye must be observed. By using more than one infrared laser light source, the exposure is distributed across multiple sources. Furthermore, the development is advantageous because the use of infrared light provides illumination outside the visible spectrum, and glare limits do not need to be taken into account. Preferably, each of the at least two light sources is a Class 1 laser according to the classification system according to IEC 60825-1. Additionally or alternatively, each of the at least two light sources is an eye-safe light-emitting diode (LED) according to IEC 62471. In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, each of the at least two light sources comprises a light element of a matrix headlight of the motor vehicle. This provides a compact solution in which the light sources are integrated into the vehicle's headlight assembly. Control of the lighting direction is achieved by selecting at least one of the matrix headlight's light elements, which provides a corresponding preset lighting direction. Preferably, one of the two light sources is an LED element of the matrix headlight and the second of the two light sources is another LED element of the matrix headlight. More preferably, the first light source is an LED element of the left headlight and the second light source is an LED element of the right headlight. According to a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, at least a part of the area surrounding the motor vehicle is illuminated by means of a headlight of the motor vehicle and the specific area is illuminated by means of the light source, wherein the light source is a light source separate from the headlight. This embodiment is based on the understanding that the illuminance produced by a vehicle's low-beam headlights is limited by regulations to reduce glare for other road users. Accordingly, it is advantageous to use a separate light source to illuminate the specific area, thereby increasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at that location. In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the illumination of the specific area comprises pulse-wise illumination of the specific area by means of a headlight of the motor vehicle. This allows the lighting in the specific area to be increased while simultaneously complying with regulations to reduce glare for other road users. Preferably, the pulsed illumination is carried out by selected LED elements of the matrix headlight described above. According to a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the image data representing the illuminated object are provided by an image acquisition unit that captures the specific area, wherein the image acquisition unit directs a field of view (FoV) onto the specific area. This further improves the processing of object information, as image data can be provided with higher accuracy by means of a directed view of the image acquisition unit. Furthermore, this embodiment offers additional advantages due to the directed illumination of the specific area: As mentioned above, the solution according to the present invention eliminates the need for rapid scanning to cover the entire scene at high update rates. This results in a lower dynamic load on the scanning system. The reduced dynamic load, in turn, leads to a reduced inertial sensitivity (of the scanning system). The reduced sensitivity allows for larger mirrors in a MEMS mirror system. Such a larger mirror can also achieve a larger receiving aperture, which improves the light-gathering capability. According to a further preferred improvement, the field of view of the image acquisition unit and the illumination direction of the light source are controlled by means of a common mirror arrangement. This allows the image acquisition unit and the light source to be located in the same place, preferably in a monostatic design where the light source and the receiving aperture can be combined in a single scanning mirror. According to another preferred embodiment, the image acquisition unit preferably comprises a MEMS mirror system (MEMS: microelectromechanical system) for aligning the view of the image acquisition unit. The image acquisition unit preferably includes a sensor array for capturing light received by the MEMS mirror system. An exemplary embodiment of the image acquisition unit is described in "FoveaCam: A MEMS Mirror-Enabled Foveating Camera" by Brevin Tilmon, Eakta Jain, Silvia Ferrari, and Sanjeev Koppal, published in the 2020 IEEE International Conference on Computational Photography (ICCP), St. Louis, MO, USA, 2020, pp. 1-11. The authors refer to the described design as a foveating camera design. This camera design distributes the resolution over areas of interest by imaging reflections from a scanning MEMS mirror. A swiveling MEMS mirror is used to align the viewpoint of the foveating camera. To solve the aforementioned problem, a data processing device for a motor vehicle is proposed, comprising a processing unit configured to process image data provided by an image acquisition unit based on images, wherein the images are images of an area surrounding the motor vehicle and captured by the image acquisition unit. The data processing device further comprises a recognition unit configured to recognize at least one object within the processed image data. The data processing device further comprises an output unit configured to output control data for controlling the direction of illumination of a light source, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the area surrounding the motor vehicle.The control data is provided to control the lighting direction depending on the position of the at least one detected object, in order to increase the illumination in a specific area so that the at least one detected object is illuminated by the light source. The processing unit and / or another processing unit is configured to process image data representing the illuminated object in order to determine object information. To solve the aforementioned problem, a device for a motor vehicle is proposed. The device comprises an image acquisition unit configured to capture images of an area surrounding the motor vehicle. The device further comprises a processing unit configured to process image data provided by the image acquisition unit based on the captured images. The device further comprises a recognition unit configured to recognize at least one object within the processed image data. The device further comprises a control unit configured to control the direction of illumination of a light source, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the area surrounding the motor vehicle.The control unit is configured to control the direction of illumination depending on the position of the at least one detected object, in order to increase the illumination in a specific area so that the at least one detected object is illuminated by the light source. The processing unit and / or another processing unit is configured to process image data representing the illuminated object in order to determine object information. To solve the above-mentioned problem, a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle is proposed, which includes a device of the type described above. The driver assistance system preferably includes an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). This term refers to a group of functions that assist the driver in the safe operation of the motor vehicle. The driver remains fully responsible for safe operation, and the system interacts with the driver via a human-machine interface. ADAS uses image acquisition units such as cameras and radar devices, coupled with the processing unit, to detect nearby obstacles or driving errors. ADAS consists of collision avoidance technologies such as lane departure warning and various levels of lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and driver assistance systems such as night vision and driver attention monitoring. To solve the above-mentioned problem, an automated driving system for a motor vehicle is proposed, which includes a device of the type described above. The expert understands the term “automated driving system” (ADS: Automated Driving System) as a system for operating a vehicle without a human driver in various levels of the operational design domain (ODD: Operational Design Domain). To solve the problem mentioned above, a motor vehicle is proposed that includes a driver assistance system of the type described above and / or an automated driving system of the type described above. For advantages, embodiments and design details of the data processing device, the device, the driver assistance system and the automated driving system for a motor vehicle and the motor vehicle, reference is made to the above description of the corresponding process features of the image processing method for a motor vehicle according to the invention. The invention will now be explained with reference to preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the present invention, Fig. 2 shows a schematic assembly of a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention, Fig. 3 shows a flowchart representing a first embodiment of a method for operating a motor vehicle according to the present invention, Fig. 4 shows a schematic assembly of a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention, Fig. 5 shows a schematic assembly of a third embodiment of a device according to the present invention, and Fig. 6 shows a schematic assembly of a fourth embodiment of a device according to the present invention. Fig. 1 shows a schematic top view of a motor vehicle 10 traveling in the direction of travel 12. The motor vehicle 10 comprises a driver assistance system 14 and an automated driving system 16, each of which can be used for a desired operating mode of the motor vehicle 10. Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a device 18 for operating the motor vehicle 10 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a schematic flowchart illustrating the steps of a method for operating the motor vehicle 10 shown in Fig. 1. In the situation shown in Fig. 1, the motor vehicle 10 is operated in a driving mode in which, according to a first process step A, the motor vehicle 10 travels in a direction of travel 12. In the driving mode shown, the headlights 13 can be switched on to illuminate a scene located in front of the motor vehicle 10 in the direction of travel 12. During travel, images of an area 15 surrounding the vehicle 10 are captured by an image acquisition unit 20 according to process step B. The image acquisition unit 20 is a camera. The image acquisition unit 20 generates image data representing the captured images. The area 15 comprises a scene located in the direction of travel 12 in front of the vehicle 10. An object 40 is present within the area 15. Specifically, the object 40 lies within a field of view (FoV) of the image acquisition unit 20. The object 40 is a pylon that could collide with the vehicle 10 if the vehicle 10 maintains its current direction and speed of travel. According to process step C, a processing unit 30 processes the image data. The processing unit 30 comprises a computer with a computer program that is executable by the computer. The executed computer program preferably processes the data using a neural network. According to process step D, a recognition unit 35 detects the object 40 within the processed image data. The recognition unit 35 for detecting the at least one object 40 preferably comprises a computer and a computer program executable by the computer. The executed computer program preferably detects the object 40 using a neural network. The motor vehicle 10 comprises a light source 60 and a light source 62, which are physically separate from the headlights 13. The light source 60 and the light source 62 are each configured to illuminate a portion of the area 15 surrounding the motor vehicle 10. The light source 60 is an infrared laser light source 61 and the light source 62 is an infrared laser light source 63. An example of an infrared laser light source 61 or 63 is an infrared light-emitting diode (IR-LED). According to process step E1, an illumination direction 64 of the light source 60 is controlled by a control unit 50 to illuminate a specific area 70 at the location of the detected object 40. According to process step E2, an illumination direction 66 of the light source 62 is controlled by a control unit 50 to illuminate a specific area 70 at the location of the detected object 40. The control unit 50 is part of a MEMS system with a mirror arrangement for directing the illumination light in the illumination direction 64 or 66. Additionally or alternatively, the control unit 50 is part of a voice coil-controlled mirror arrangement. Illuminating the specific area 70 increases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a captured image depicting object 40. In particular, the boundaries of object 40 shown in the image are sharpened. According to a further process step F, images of the defined area 70, in which the illuminated object 40 is located, are captured by the image acquisition unit 20. The image acquisition unit 20 generates image data that represent the detected object 40. An example image acquisition unit 20 is configured to direct a field of view onto the defined area 70. That is, the image acquisition unit 20 includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) by means of which the field of view of the image acquisition unit 20 can be aligned in a desired direction. According to a further process step G, image data representing the illuminated object 40 are processed to determine object information 72. The processing according to process step G is carried out by processing unit 30. The image data representing the illuminated object 40 is processed to determine object information 72. The processing includes measuring a dimension 73 of the captured and illuminated object 40, in particular the height of the object 40. Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a device 118 for operating the motor vehicle according to the second embodiment. The device 118 is constructed similarly to the device 18 shown in Fig. 2. Identical elements and elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2. The device 118 comprises an image acquisition unit 20, which captures images of the area 15 surrounding the motor vehicle 10. The processing unit 30 processes image data provided by the image acquisition unit 20 based on the captured images. The detection unit 35 detects the object 40 within the processed image data. The control unit 50 controls the illumination direction 64 and 66 of the light sources 60 and 62 to illuminate the specific area 70 depending on the position of the object 40. The light sources 60 and 62 are, respectively, infrared laser light sources 61 and 63. The illumination of the specific area according to the second embodiment is pulsed illumination, in which pulsed illumination light is emitted from the infrared laser light source 61 or 63. The device 118 further comprises a receiving unit 80 or 82, which receives a reflected portion of the pulsed illumination light. This includes a reflected portion that was reflected by the object 40. The distance between object 40 and vehicle 10 is determined based on the reflected portion of the pulsed illumination. This distance is calculated by measuring the travel time of the pulsed illumination and its reflected portion. Specifically, the travel time of the pulsed illumination from light source 60, 62 to object 40 and the travel time of the reflected portion from object 40 to receiver 80, 82 are measured. The infrared laser light source 61 or 63 and the receiver 80 or 82 are part of a LiDAR system (LiDAR: Light Detection and Range). The receiving unit 80, 82 provides image data representing an image captured by the receiving unit 80, 82. The receiving unit serves as a further image acquisition unit 120 for capturing images of the defined area 70. The image data is processed by a processing unit 130 to determine object information 72. The processing includes measuring a dimension 73 of the captured and illuminated object 40, in particular the height of the object 40. Fig. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a device 218 for operating the motor vehicle according to the third embodiment. The device 218 is constructed similarly to the device 118 shown in Fig. 4. Identical elements and elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4. The device 218 comprises an image acquisition unit 20, which captures images of the area 15 around the motor vehicle 10 shown in Fig. 1. The processing unit 30 processes image data provided by the image acquisition unit based on the captured images. The detection unit 35 detects the object 40 in the processed image data. The control unit 50 controls the illumination direction 64 and 66 of the light sources 60 and 62 to illuminate the defined area 70 depending on the position of the object 40. The light sources 60 and 62 are radar sources 261 and 263. The illumination of the specific area according to the third embodiment is achieved by transmitting a frequency-modulated continuous-wave electromagnetic signal (FMCW) using the radar sources 261 and 263. The device 218 further comprises a receiving unit 280 and 282, which receives a reflected portion of the FMCW light. This includes a reflected portion that is reflected by the object 40. The receiving units 280 and 282 are each a radar receiving unit. Based on the transmitted FMCW light and the reflected portion of the FMCW light, a distance between object 40 and motor vehicle 10 is determined. The distance is calculated by FMCW radar measurement. The radar source 261 or 263 and the receiver unit 280 or 282 are part of an FMCW system. The receiving unit 280, 282 provides image data representing an image captured by the receiving unit 280, 282. The image data is processed by a processing unit 230 to determine object information 72. The processing can include measuring a dimension 73 of the captured and illuminated object 40, in particular the height of the object 40. Fig. 6 shows a schematic diagram of a device 318 for operating the motor vehicle 10 according to the fourth embodiment. The device 318 is constructed similarly to the device 18 shown in Fig. 2. Identical elements and elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2. The motor vehicle 10 has matrix headlights 313 and 314, which serve as light sources 60 and 62. The control unit 50 controls the illumination directions 64 and 66 of the light sources 60 and 62 to illuminate the defined area 70 depending on the position of the object 40. Illumination direction 64 is achieved by selecting a light element 315 of the left headlight 313 for enhanced illumination. Light element 315 has a fixed illumination direction corresponding to the desired illumination direction 64 (whereas other light elements have different illumination directions). Illumination direction 66 is achieved by selecting a light element 316 of the right headlight 314 for enhanced illumination. Light element 316 has a fixed illumination direction corresponding to the desired illumination direction 66. Light elements 315 and 316 are LED elements. The illumination of the defined area 70 using light elements 315 and 316 is, for example, pulsed illumination. Although the invention has been explained and described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but that other variants can be made by a person skilled in the art without deviation from the spirit and scope of the invention. Reference symbol list 10 Motor vehicle 12 Direction of travel 13 Headlight 14 Driver assistance system 15 Area 16 Automated driving system 18, 118, 218, 318 Device 20, 120 Image acquisition unit 30, 130, 230 Processing unit 35 Recognition unit 50 Control unit 60, 62 Light source 61, 63 Infrared laser light source 64, 66 Illumination direction 70 Specific area 72 Object information 73 Dimension 80, 82 Receiver unit 261, 263 RADAR source 280, 282 Receiver unit 313, 314 Headlight 315, 316 Light element A, B, C, D, E1, E2, F, G Process step

Claims

Image processing method for a motor vehicle (10), comprising: - Capturing (B) images of an area (15) surrounding the motor vehicle (10) by means of an image acquisition unit (20); - Processing (C) image data provided by the image acquisition unit (20) on the basis of the captured images by means of a processing unit (30); - Recognizing (D) at least one object (40) within the processed image data by means of a recognition unit (35); and - Controlling (E1, E2) a direction of illumination (64, 66) of a light source (60, 62) by means of a control unit (50), wherein the light source (60, 62) is configured to illuminate at least a part of the area (15) surrounding the motor vehicle (10), characterized by: - ​​Controlling (E1, E2) the direction of illumination (64, 66) to increase the illumination in a specific area (70) depending on the position of the at least one captured object (40)so that the at least one detected object (40) is illuminated by the light source (60, 62),- Capturing (F) images of the specified area (70) using the image acquisition unit (20) and / or another image acquisition unit (120), and- Processing (G) image data provided by the image acquisition unit (20) representing the illuminated object (40) in order to determine object information (72), wherein the processing of image data representing the illuminated object (40) includes measuring a dimension (73) of the detected and illuminated object (40). The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: - illuminating the specific area (70) comprises pulsed illumination of the specific area (70) by means of the light source (60, 62), wherein pulsed illumination light is directed onto the specific area (70) during the pulsed illumination, further comprising: - receiving a reflected part of the pulsed illumination light by means of a receiving unit (80, 82), and - determining the distance between the detected object (40) and the motor vehicle (10) on the basis of the reflected part of the illumination light by measuring the transit time of the pulsed illumination light and the reflected part of the pulsed illumination light. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: - illuminating the defined area (70) comprises sending a frequency-modulated continuous line light by means of a RADAR source (261, 263), further comprising: - receiving a reflected part of the frequency-modulated continuous line light by means of a receiver unit (280, 282) and: - determining the distance between the detected object (40) and the motor vehicle (10) on the basis of the reflected part of the frequency-modulated continuous line light. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source comprises at least two light sources (60, 62), and the control (E1, E2) comprises controlling the direction of illumination (64, 66) of each of the at least two light sources (60, 62) such that each light source (60, 62) illuminates the specified area (70). Method according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the at least two light sources (60, 62) comprises an eye-safe infrared laser light source (61, 63). Method according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the at least two light sources comprises a light element (315, 316) of a matrix headlight (313, 314) of the motor vehicle (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by illuminating at least a part of the area (15) surrounding the motor vehicle (10) by means of a headlight (13) of the motor vehicle (10), and illuminating the specific area (70) by means of the light source (60, 62), wherein the light source (60, 62) is a light source separate from the headlight (13). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the illumination of the specific area (70) comprises pulse-wise illumination of the specific area (70) by means of a headlight (13, 313, 314) of the motor vehicle (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the image data representing the illuminated object (40) are provided by an image acquisition unit (20) capturing the specific area (70), wherein the image acquisition unit (20) directs a field of view towards the specific area (70). Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the field of view of the image acquisition unit (20) and the direction of illumination (64, 66) of the light source (60, 62) are controlled by means of a common mirror arrangement. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the image acquisition unit (20) comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) for aligning the view of the image acquisition unit (20). Data processing device for a motor vehicle (10), comprising: - a processing unit (30) configured to process image data provided by an image acquisition unit (20) based on images, wherein the images are images of an area (15) surrounding the motor vehicle (10) and captured by the image acquisition unit (20); - a recognition unit (35) configured to recognize at least one object (40) within the processed image data; - an output unit (36) configured to output control data for controlling a direction of illumination (64, 66) of a light source (60, 62), wherein the light source is configured to illuminate at least a part of the area surrounding the motor vehicle (10); characterized in that: - the control data for controlling the direction of illumination (64, 66) are provided depending on the position of the at least one recognized object (40).to increase the illumination in a specific area (70) so that the at least one detected object (40) is illuminated by the light source (60, 62), and the processing unit (30) and / or another processing unit (130, 230) is set up to process image data representing the illuminated object (40) in order to determine object information (72), wherein the processing of image data representing the illuminated object (40) includes measuring a dimension (73) of the detected and illuminated object (40). Device for a motor vehicle (10), comprising: - an image acquisition unit (20) configured to capture images of an area (15) surrounding the motor vehicle (10), - a processing unit (30) configured to process image data provided by the image acquisition unit (20) on the basis of the captured images, - a recognition unit (35) configured to recognize at least one object (40) within the processed image data, and - a control unit (50) configured to control the direction of illumination (64, 66) of a light source (60, 62), wherein the light source (60, 62) is configured to illuminate at least a part of the area (15) surrounding the motor vehicle (10), characterized in that - the control unit (50) is configured to control the direction of illumination (64, 66) depending on the position of the at least one recognized object (40).to increase the illumination in a specific area (70) so that the at least one detected object (40) is illuminated by the light source (60, 62), and the processing unit (30) and / or another processing unit (130, 230) is set up to process image data representing the illuminated object (40) in order to determine object information (72), wherein the processing of image data representing the illuminated object (40) includes measuring a dimension (73) of the detected and illuminated object (40). Driver assistance system (14) for a motor vehicle (10), comprising a device (18, 118, 218, 318) according to claim 13. Automated driving system (16) for a motor vehicle (10), comprising a device (18, 118, 218, 318) according to claim 13. Motor vehicle (10) with a driver assistance system (14) according to claim 14 and / or with an automated driving system (16) according to claim 15 .

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