Heterogeneous data fusion to control a predictive bending light

ChristianFunk,AUDIAGIngolstadt

Keywords: pAFS,AFS, predictive bending light, Navigation, camera,   Datafusion.

AbstractAbout 90 percent of the information which is necessary in order to ensure a safe handling of a vehicle is based on visual effects. [ECK93] assumes that in about 50 percent of all traffic accidents the optical recognition plays a significant role. A variety of different authors shows, that driving through bends during nighttime presents the highest risk potential. This statement is confirmed by [SCH03] as well, according to whom the highest potential risk for an accident is to find on rural roads especially in bends. The rate of bends on German rural roads equals about 32.7 percent. Based on the above mentioned facts  a  predictive bending light provides a further improvement of visibility conditions in about one third of all situations which may occur during a night drive. The main objective of the predictive bending light is to improve the reduced visibility just before entering a bend. However, a problem with swiveling headlamps exists in so called S-shaped- bends. Right before reaching the inflection point the light is - due to the nature of the system - swiveled into the opposite direction, what reduces the visibility distance even more. The reason for this behavior is to find in the car’s disability to predict the course of the road ahead, a bend cannot be detected prior to passing through it. Today’s AFS-Systems operate based on the actual driving conditions such as the current steering wheel angle but not based on a trajectory which the car may pass through. The solution for this problem is to find in the application of anticipatory sensors enabling the predictive control of the headlamps. In this case, navigation and camera (lane-information) data are used in order to calcu- late the car’s most probable path. An additional advantage is realized regarding the driver’s line of sight. According to [Ewe02] a headlamp system helps even more, when the driver’s line of sight behavior at nighttime equals the behavior at daytime. This can be realized by applying a predictive lighting control. In order to drive a vehicle even safer through the night it is necessary to provide an optimal visibility at all situations.