Multi-Camera Vehicle Control for Rear-End Collision Mitigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle collision avoidance systems do not effectively assist drivers when vehicles are at the back end of a traffic jam with vehicles closing in from behind, as they rely on forward-facing sensors and lack rearward collision detection and prevention capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A rearward-facing camera system with image processing capabilities detects approaching vehicles, determines the likelihood of collision, and provides alerts or controls vehicle systems to prevent or mitigate rear impacts by adjusting seats, accelerating, or changing lanes, and communicates with other vehicles to coordinate collision avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If forward-facing sensors are used in vehicle vision systems, then forward collision detection is improved, but rearward collision detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle vision system is divided into multiple independent camera units positioned at different locations (front, rear, sides) to detect collisions from different directions. Each camera segment handles specific directional detection, with rearward-facing cameras specifically addressing the previously neglected rear collision detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from primarily forward-facing (one-dimensional) sensor placement to multi-directional (three-dimensional) camera positioning around the vehicle. This spatial dimensionality change enables simultaneous detection of collisions from front, rear, and side directions, resolving the contradiction between forward and rearward detection capabilities.
2Reliability
If multiple cameras are added to detect rearward collisions, then rearward collision detection is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system serves multiple functions: it processes data from all cameras, determines collision risk from any direction, generates appropriate alerts, and can control vehicle responses. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single unified controller, managing complexity while enabling rearward collision detection.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple camera systems (front, rear, side) are merged into a single integrated vision system with unified processing. The patent combines the functions of multiple independent detection systems into one cohesive system that processes all directional data through a common control unit, reducing overall system complexity despite adding multiple cameras.
3Measurement precision
If real-time image processing is performed to detect approaching vehicles, then collision detection accuracy is improved, but processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously captures and pre-processes image data from all cameras even before a collision threat is detected. By maintaining ready-state processed data and pre-calculating potential collision scenarios, the system reduces the time required for real-time decision-making when an actual threat emerges, balancing accuracy with response time.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular control system includes a plurality of exterior-viewing cameras disposed at a vehicle. The plurality of exterior-viewing cameras comprises at least one rearward-viewing camera and a forward-viewing camera. At least in part via processing at an electronic control unit (ECU) of image data captured by the cameras and transferred to the ECU, the vehicular control system (i) determines a traffic lane that the equipped vehicle is traveling in on the road the equipped vehicle is traveling along and (ii) detects a trailing vehicle present rearward of the equipped vehicle and approaching the equipped vehicle in the same traffic lane that the equipped vehicle is traveling in on the road the equipped vehicle is traveling along. The vehicular control system controls the equipped vehicle to mitigate impact by the trailing vehicle. The forward-viewing camera captures image data for at least one driving assist system of the equipped vehicle.