Cross Traffic Alert Using Camera Indicator Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cross-traffic alert systems in vehicles often trigger unnecessary braking operations and false alarms due to inaccuracies in recognizing road users not on a collision course, leading to inefficiencies and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling rearward vehicle movement using a driving assistance system that includes sensors, a camera, and a control device to calculate and adapt threshold values for warning and braking interventions based on the travel-direction indication of approaching road users, reducing false alarms and unnecessary operations by adjusting intervention triggers accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cross-traffic alert systems trigger braking operations for all detected road users, then safety coverage is improved, but false alarms and unnecessary braking operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different evaluation criteria to different road users based on their travel-direction indicators. Road users showing indicators perpendicular to the vehicle's path are evaluated differently than those showing indicators toward the vehicle, allowing localized adjustment of safety interventions rather than uniform application to all detected objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the intervention threshold parameter dynamically based on the travel-direction indicator detected. When indicators suggest non-collision courses are intended, the threshold for triggering braking operations is adjusted, reducing false alarms while maintaining safety for genuine collision risks.
2Measurement precision
If cross-traffic alert systems use radar data to detect all approaching road users, then detection coverage is improved, but false alarm rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system acts as an intermediary that provides additional information (travel-direction indicators) to refine the interpretation of radar data. Rather than relying solely on radar distance and speed data, the camera's visual detection of indicators serves as a mediator to distinguish between road users intending to collide and those taking alternative paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of travel-direction indicators using the camera before finalizing braking intervention decisions. This preliminary action of gathering directional intent information allows the system to pre-filter potential false alarms before committing to energy-consuming braking operations.
3Reliability
If braking intervention threshold values are set low for maximum safety, then collision prevention is improved, but unnecessary braking operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intervention threshold values are made dynamic rather than static. The system continuously adjusts threshold levels based on real-time detection of travel-direction indicators from road users. When indicators suggest safe passage, thresholds are raised to prevent unnecessary braking; when indicators suggest collision risk, thresholds are lowered to ensure safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from camera-based indicator detection to continuously adjust braking intervention thresholds. The detection results feed back into the control logic, allowing the system to adapt threshold values based on the actual directional intent of detected road users, optimizing both safety and reversing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A rearwardly directed movement of a first vehicle that has a driving assistance system that can be controlled, the driving assistance system having at least one sensor and a control device, in which threshold values for triggering a warning intervention and/or braking intervention in respect of the interval in relation to at least one further road user are set, and additionally being connected to or having a camera, by which activated travel-direction indicators of a further road user are recognized, which travel-direction indicators are included in the calculation of a probable trajectory of the further road user, and a probability of a collision is calculated, according to which the threshold values are lowered or raised.