Night Vision In Cars

NIGHT VISION IN CARS

1. INTRODUCTION

Night vision signifies the ability to see in dark (night). This capability is normally

possessed by owls and cats, but with the development of science and technology devices has

been develop which enables human being to see in dark as well an in adverse atmospheric

conditions such as fog, rain, dust etc. The muscles in the human eye have the ability to stretch

or contract automatically, depending upon the intensity of light falling on the eye. When we

go out in bright sunlight, the pupil gets contracted. Alternatively, when we enter a shaded or

dark room at that time the muscles of eye relax and make the aperture of the eye lens big

enough to allow sufficient amount of light to pass through, therefore the objects in the room

appear blurred. Because of this human eye have limitations. The muscles of eye cannot

increase the aperture indefinitely. Therefore, in poor light we are unable to see the objects

because the image cannot be formed on the retina clearly. The capability to detect and

identify targets at night and under poor visibility conditions has been an essential military

requirement. The modern army's need to operate at night and under conditions of extremely

poor visibility, Since the soldiers have to often fight in the dark at night, they have to face a

severe stress as far as the location of target is concerned. Also various wild life observer have

to face problems of low light because many wild animals are more active during night time

than day, therefore to observe there lifestyle and study it night vision is important. Therefore

to make human being unable to see in dark by technological means, night vision technology

has been developed.

Night vision technologies can be broadly divided into three main categories:

1: Image intensification

2: Active illumination

3: Thermal imaging

1.1. Image Intensification System

Image intensification systems support direct observations by amplifying low levels of

available light. They do not ‘turn night into day’ Nor do they overcomes the problems that

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affect vision in low light environments. The image intensifier is a vacuum-tube based device

that converts invisible light from an image to visible light so that an objects in the dark can be

viewed by a camera or the naked eye. When light strikes a charged photocathode plate,

electrons are emitted through a vacuum tube that strike the micro channel plate that cause the

image screen to illuminate with a picture in the same pattern as the light that strikes the

photocathode, This is much like a CRT television, but instead of colour guns the

photocathode does the emitting. The intensified image is, typically, viewed on a phosphor

screen that creates a monochrome, video-like image, on the user’s eyepieces.

1.1.1. Advantages

Excellent low-light level sensitivity

Enhanced visible imaging yields the best possible recognition and identification

performance.

High resolution.

Low power and cost.

Ability to identify people.

1.1.2. Disadvantages:

Because they are based on amplification methods, some light is required. This method

is not useful when there is essentially no light.

Inferior daytime performance when compared to daylight-only methods.

Possibility of blooming and damage when observing bright sources under low-light

conditions.

1.2. Active Illumination

Active illumination technologies work on the principle of coupling imaging

intensification with an active source of illumination in the near infrared (NIR) band. Infrared

is used in night vision technology when there is insufficient visible light to see, active

illumination involves conversion of ambient light photons into electrons which are then

amplified by a chemical and electrical process and then converted back into visible light.

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Active infrared night vision combines infrared illumination in spectral range 0.7–1 μm. Due

to which the scene, which appears dark to a human observer now appears as a monochrome

image on a normal display device. Since active infrared night vision systems can incorporate

illuminators that produce high levels of infrared light, the resulting images are typically

higher resolution than other night vision technologies.

The use of infrared light and night vision devices should not be confused with thermal

imaging which creates images based on differences in surface temperature by detecting

infrared radiation (heat) that emanates from objects and their surrounding environment

1.3. Thermal Imaging

In order to understand thermal imaging, it is important to understand something about

light. The amount of energy in a light wave is related to its wavelength: Shorter wavelengths

have higher energy. Of visible light, violet has the most energy, and red has the least. Just

next to the visible light spectrum is the infrared spectrum. Infrared light can be split into three

categories:

Near-infrared (near-IR) - Closest to visible light, near-IR has wavelengths that range

from 0.7 to 1.3 microns, or 700 billionths to 1,300 billionths of a meter.

Mid-infrared (mid-IR) - Mid-IR has wavelengths ranging from 1.3 to 3 microns. Both

near-IR and mid-IR are used by a variety of electronic devices, including remote controls.

Thermal-infrared (thermal-IR) - Occupying the largest part of the infrared spectrum,

thermal-IR has wavelength ranging from 3 microns to over 30 microns.

1.3.1. Working Of Thermal Imaging

A special lens focuses the infrared light emitted by all of the objects in view. The

focused light is scanned by a phased array of infrared-detector elements. The detector

elements create a very detailed temperature pattern called a thermo gram. It only takes about

one-thirtieth of a second for the detector array to obtain the temperature information to make

the thermo gram. This information is obtained from several thousand points in the field of

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view of the detector array. The thermo gram created by the detector elements are translated

into electric impulses.

The impulses are sent to a signal-processing unit, a circuit board with a dedicated chip

that translates the information from the elements into data for the display. The signal-

processing unit sends the information to the display, where it appears as various colors

depending on the intensity of the infrared emission. The combination of all the impulses from

all of the elements creates the image.

There are two common types of thermal-imaging devices:

Un-cooled - This is the most common type of thermal-imaging device. The infrared detector

Elements are contained in a unit that operates at room temperature. This type of system is

completely quiet, activates immediately and has the battery built right in.

Cryogenically cooled - More expensive and more susceptible to damage from rugged use,

these systems have the elements sealed inside a container that cools them to below 32 F (zero

C). The advantage of such a system is the incredible resolution and sensitivity that result from

cooling the elements. Cryogenically-cooled systems can "see" a difference as small as 0.2 F

(0.1 C) from more than 1,000 ft (300 m) away, which is enough to tell if a person is holding a

gun at that distance.

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW

Pre 1940’s flares and spot lights were used for operations at night. Due to the nature

of this early night vision device (NVD), they gave away tactical positions. Military scientists

began to think of improve night vision to gain a strategic advantage. The first night vision

device (NVD) was created during the world war- 2.Functioned by placing an infrared filter

over a search light. Fighters would use special binoculars to see using the light from this

night vision method. Infrared light is used to visualize the things in the dark. Accident

scientists show that the driving at the night represents a significant potential danger. In

Germany, some 50 percent of the fatal car accidents happen at night, although an average of

the 75 percent of all driving is during a day. A similar situation is found in a US. With a 28

percent share of all driving, 55 percent of all fatal accidents occur at night. Accidental

statistics throughout Europe as a whole also justify intensive consideration of the issue of

nocturnal driving. According to estimates, approx. 560,000 people injured in the dark and

23,000 are killed. Over 25,000 accidents per year involving pedestrians and cyclists occur

during the night in the Germany. The reason are obvious; poor or significantly limited sight

conditions on highways and country roads, obstacles or narrow bends which are recognised

too late with low beam, inappropriate judgement of the speed or distance due to lack of the

orientation for the eye, driving into the “black hole” of the head lights of oncoming traffic,

possibly exacerbated by wet, reflecting road surface. Our eyes are the first line of the defence

against the hazards So, the recent innovation to help driver see better at night and in most

diverse weather conditions, is the “Night Vision System” The core of this system is FLIR

system thermal imaging camera. BMW is the first European premium car manufacturer that

started to implement the technology in the cars. Night vision camera is assembled in the

United States, installed in BMW in Germany and then distributed worldwide. After its

utilization, it goes to waste (End of life) and then mostly recycled. Manufacturing of raw

materials takes place all over world and transported to Autoliv.

2.1. Generations

NVDs have been around for more than 40 years. They are categorized by generation.

Each substantial change in NVD technology establishes a new generation.

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Generation 0 - The original night-vision system created by the United States Army and used

in World War II and the Korean War, these NVDs use active infrared. This means that a

projection unit, called an IR Illuminator, is attached to the NVD. The unit projects a beam of

near-infrared light, similar to the beam of a normal flashlight. Invisible to the naked eye, this

beam reflects off objects and bounces back to the lens of the NVD. These systems use an

anode in conjunction with the cathode to accelerate the electrons. The problem with that

approach is that the acceleration of the electrons distorts the image and greatly decreases the

life of the tube. Another major problem with this technology in its original military use was

that it was quickly duplicated by hostile nations, which allowed enemy soldiers to use their

own NVDs to see the infrared beam projected by the device.

Generation 1 - The next generation of NVDs moved away from active infrared, using

passive infrared instead. Once dubbed Starlight by the U.S. Army, these NVDs use ambient

light provided by the moon and stars to augment the normal amounts of reflected infrared in

the environment. This means that they did not require a source of projected infrared light.

This also means that they do not work very well on cloudy or moonless nights. Generation-1

NVDs use the same image-intensifier tube technology as Generation 0, with both cathode and

anode, so image distortion and short tube life are still a problem.

Generation 2 - Major improvements in image-intensifier tubes resulted in Generation-2

NVDs. They offer improved resolution and performance over Generation-1 devices, and are

considerably more reliable. The biggest gain in Generation 2 is the ability to see in extremely

low light conditions, such as a moonless night. This increased sensitivity is due to the

addition of the micro channel plate to the image-intensifier tube. Since the MCP actually

increases the number of electrons instead of just accelerating the original ones, the images are

significantly less distorted and brighter than earlier-generation NVDs.

Generation 3 - Generation 3 is currently used by the U.S. military. While there are no

substantial changes in the underlying technology from Generation 2, these NVDs have even

better resolution and sensitivity. This is because the photo cathode is made using gallium

arsenide, which is very efficient at converting photons to electrons. Additionally, the MCP is

coated with an ion barrier, which dramatically increases the life of the tube.

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Generation 4 - What is generally known as Generation 4 or "filmless and gated" technology

shows significant overall improvement in both low- and high-level light environments. The

removal of the ion barrier from the MCP that was added in Generation 3 technology reduces

the background noise and thereby enhances the signal to noise ratio. Removing the ion film

actually allows more electrons to reach the amplification stage so that the images are

significantly less distorted and brighter. The addition of an automatic gated power supply

system allows the photocathode voltage to switch on and off rapidly, thereby enabling the

NVD to respond to a fluctuation in lighting conditions in an instant. This capability is a

critical advance in NVD systems, in that it allows the NVD user to quickly move from high-

light to low-light (or from low-light to high-light) environments without any halting effects.

For example, consider the ubiquitous movie scene where an agent using night vision goggles

is “sightless” when someone turns on a light nearby. With the new, gated power feature, the

change in lighting wouldn’t have the same impact; the improved NVD would respond

immediately to the lighting change.

Many of the so-called "bargain" night-vision scopes use Generation-0 or Generation-

1 technology, and may be disappointing if you expect the sensitivity of the devices used by

professionals. Generation-2, Generation-3 and Generation 4 NVDs are typically expensive to

purchase, but they will last if properly cared for. Also, any NVD can benefit from the use of

an IR Illuminator in very dark areas where there is almost no ambient light to collect.

A cool thing to note is that every single image-intensifier tube is put through

rigorous tests to see if it meets the requirements set forth by the military. Tubes that do are

classified as MILSPEC. Tubes that fail to meet military requirements in even a single

category are classified as COMSPEC.

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3. THEORY

There are two types of Night Vision technologies on the market, Far Infrared (FIR)

and Near Infrared (NIR). FIR detects the radiation which all objects emit, while NIR detects

the reflected illumination in a frequency just outside the visible range of a human being. The

paper will analyse the requirements of a Night Vision system, how NIR and FIR today

perform under the defined condition and proceed to discuss directions for future

development. Development of technology has severe risks of failure if the users’ needs are

not properly understood and taken into consideration, even though those needs are not always

explicitly stated. A discussion of technology roadmaps should therefore start with a problem

definition and a definition of what is attempted to be accomplished.

All cars today have an acceptable ‘night vision’ system. That is the high beam

headlights of the vehicle. Even though they could be improved1, their performances are at

least acceptable. However, in many areas, high beams are of very limited use due to

oncoming traffic. The insufficient night-time visibility originates in the fact that the high

beam headlights are rarely possible to use. A Night Vision system must therefore be a system

that increases visibility in situations where only low beam headlights can be used today. This

condition will then define the criteria to evaluate the performance of any Night Vision

technology proposed and the potential safety impact of such a system. Rumar2 provided

typical realistic detection distances to vertical objects with low and high beams with and

without oncoming headlights (table 1). The short detection distances for especially dark

objects under low beam conditions versus the corresponding situation under high beam

condition illustrate the detection distance deficiency that a Night Vision system should

overcome. Safe driving speed should allow the driver to detect, react and stop in time before

any obstacles on the road. However, most motorists actually drive faster than the visibility

range allow with low beam headlights.

3.1. Requirements To A Night Vision System

Night time traffic in densely populated areas like Japan can be as high as 40 % of the

total traffic volume, while typical numbers for industrialized countries are 20-25 % 2. Even

though there is evidence showing that high beams are under used4, with high beams used less

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than 10 % in most regions5, the core of the problem depends on the fact that there are

frequent oncoming cars that prevents the use of high beams. As a consequence, the aim of a

Night Vision system should be a substitution to the use of the high beams of the headlights

when meeting traffic prevents their use. The system must remain efficient when facing

oncoming vehicles and “system efficiency in dark country roads is not relevant because

drivers would switch high beams on6”. The conclusion of these observations is therefore that

the performance of any Night Vision system must be evaluated in terms of detecting

pedestrians in the glare caused by the headlights of oncoming vehicles.

3.1.1. Risk at night

The risk in traffic is much higher at night than in the day, measured in distance

traveled. The difference in crash statistics between day and night provide important

information about the performance of automotive headlights and how those can be improved.

However, not all of the increased risk of travel at night is due to the visibility. Other reasons

include higher alcohol consumption, increased fatigue among drivers and also a different mix

of drivers7. Alcohol consumption and fatigue especially influence single vehicle crashes2.

Higher exposure to animals on the road in dusk, dawn and darkness increase the risk of

accidents with animals. The difference in crash risk between day and night are therefore

caused by several different factors. An attempt to isolate the effects of the light level on

traffic fatalities was made using the US Fatality Accident Reporting System (FARS)

statistics8. Assuming that activities of most people are linked to the clock time rather than the

level of light, the difference in crash rates just before and just after the transition between

standard and daylight savings time was compared. The results showed that only pedestrian

crashes are more frequent in darkness, when the confounding factors like alcohol and fatigue

are controlled. Even though there appears to be differences in accident statistics between

Europe and the US9, and a similar analysis on European statistics is not known to the author,

a similar relationship appears likely in Europe and other industrialized countries.

3.1.2. Visual guidance

Visual performance of a driver at night is based on visual guidance and target

recognition. Visual guidance is mainly performed by the peripheral vision and is the function

that helps the driver stay on the road, and influence the driving speed chosen by the driver.

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Target detection is seriously degraded at night, while the visual guidance is affected less,

which is the major reason why drivers tend to drive faster than their visual ability really

permit at night. Drivers select their speed based on how well they see the road, which does

not decline as much as their ability to see other objects2. The result is the driving speed

usually exceeds the driver’s ability to detect objects. As shown above, pedestrians and other

vulnerable road users are at particular risk. Improving the visibility of the road and the visual

guidance provided may result in higher speed, even though their ability to see objects like

pedestrians is not increased. Increasing the visibility of objects does offer a clear safety

potential on the other hand.

3.2. FIR And NIR Night Vision Systems

Both NIR and FIR technology offer substantial benefits in different conditions. Both

types of systems can also be used together with high beam headlights. The benefit of NIR

systems together with high beams may be limited, as NIR systems could be compared with

driving using high beams, but without blinding the other road users. The longer range of FIR

systems would also make them very effective on dark roads as complements to the high

beams of the vehicle. However, as concluded the previous section, pedestrian detection while

facing other vehicles with oncoming headlights should be the main evaluation criteria of a

Night Vision system.

3.2.1. Pedestrian detection using FIR and NIR systems

The ability to detect pedestrians using both a NIR and a FIR system was compared in

a study by UMTRI10. The results showed that the detection distance using a FIR system was

significantly larger than using a NIR system, with average detection distance of 119 m for

older drivers and 144m for younger drivers. Average detection distance with a NIR system

was 35 and 42 m respectively, see figure 1. The interaction between system type and age was

not statistically significant.

When the system was complemented with an automatic warning function, the

detection distance and the accuracy of detection increased with both systems when the driver

was provided with a warning when the object was 150 m in front of the vehicle. The FIR

system provided the longest detection distance at 150 m, while the detection distance with the

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NIR system was 110 m. The detection distance increased for the NIR system while it

decreased somewhat for the FIR system, when the automatic warning was provided when the

object was 75 m in front of the vehicle. Average detection distance for the NIR system was

64 m while the average detection distance for the FIR system was 119 m, see figure 2. The

warning at 75 m decreased the detection distance for the FIR system, although detection was

made before the warning was provided. The study suggested that some trial subjects waited

for the automatic warning, when using the FIR system. Workload was rated higher by the

users of the NIR system, and the addition of an automatic warning did not decrease the

workload significantly.

3.2.2. Visual clutter

Accidents with pedestrians and vulnerable road users are predominantly occurring in

urban areas3, where the driving scene generally is more complex with various sources of

disturbance for the sensor, whether NIR or FIR. Those disturbances often will generate a

more cluttered image, which will be more difficult for both a driver as well as for a computer

interpreting the image.

The amount of clutter should be an important parameter, as the system shall allow for

detection of a pedestrian during a quick glance, at least with systems without an automatic

detection function built in. The study showed that visual clutter was rated significantly higher

in NIR images than in FIR images. A negative correlation was found between the rated image

clutter and detection distance, meaning that detection distance was low when the rating of

clutter was high. The higher rating of clutter in NIR images possibly influenced the higher

rates of missed pedestrian detection for the NIR system, see table 2.

Whether the relationship between visual clutter and detection distance holds for other

implementations of Night Vision systems has not been tested, but it appears reasonable that

any new implementation of Night Vision with lower rated visual clutter would also produce

longer detection distance among drivers. The issue should be important for both FIR and NIR

Night Vision technologies.

3.2.3. Effects of pedestrian clothing

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The fact that NIR systems detect reflected light, even though it is invisible to the

human eye, also means that the performance of the system will be dependent on the

reflectivity of the target. As shown in figure, different kinds of clothing have varying

reflectivity.

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3.3. Comparisons Of NIR And FIR

As you might imagine, the two auto moguls get from point A to point B in entirely

separate ways. Mercedes-Benz uses an active system or near-IR system that illuminates the

night with projected infrared light, much like optics found in military-issue night-vision

goggles. BMW's passive system, on the other hand, uses far-IR or FIR technology in its on-

board night-vision systems.

Unlike night-vision optics used for military applications, BMW's system registers

images based on body heat and produces images that resemble a photo negative. While that

works well for deciphering between animals and people, it doesn't do much for revealing a

dead animal in the middle of the road or perhaps a large rock or a fallen tree. BMW's infrared

system uses complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-based sensors on the front

of the car that pick up heat from objects and processes the thermal signature to display

images on a quarter video graphics array (QVGA) display (320x240-pixel resolution)

mounted on the dash in the centre of the vehicle's console. In a nutshell, the BMW's system

picks up the heat of the animal or pedestrian and displays it as a bright image. The warmer

the target, the brighter the image displays. It has a range of around 980 feet (299 meters) and

can pan in the direction the vehicle is heading. The FIR night vision system illuminates

what's directly in front of the vehicle reasonably well, but doesn't offer the clarity found in

the Mercedes system.

In contrast, the Mercedes system uses NIR technology and produces an even, clear

picture in the dark. This system is similar to night-vision goggles soldiers use. Like the

military-issued night-vision goggles, the NIR system in the Mercedes illuminates everything

as if it were in the high beams of the vehicle. By utilizing a series of projection bulbs and

cameras, the Mercedes' active night-vision system picks up the faintest traces of light and

transforms it into a clear picture. The advantage is that the Mercedes system can see warmer

living things just as clear as it can spot colder, dead animals or non-living objects. The

drawback to the Mercedes system is its range: The system has a maximum effective range of

less than 600 feet (183 meters). Another drawback is the Mercedes' NIR system doesn't

handle fog well, while the BMW's FIR system can see through the dense conditions. But

unlike the BMW's system, the Mercedes monitor is located behind the steering wheel,

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directly in the driver's line of sight to the road, and the image quality is also crisper on the

NIR system.

Both systems can be turned on or off by the driver with controls found near the high-

beam lever and neither system is affected by oncoming bright lights. Both are easy on the

eyes too, so sensitivity to light should not be a problem for most drivers. Researchers from

the two companies are also in the process of perfecting warning indicators on the night-vision

systems. The challenge is to be able to decipher what's a hazard and what's merely a heat

signature. The goal is for the systems to be able to set off an alarm when a pedestrian or

animal is close enough to the road to be hazardous.

Both systems cost an extra $2,000 to $2,500. While that may sound like a significant

amount of money, when you look at the price tag of a 7-Series BMW or S-Class Mercedes,

two vehicles that can easily top $100,000, it somehow seems a bit more reasonable --

especially when you consider the benefit of being able to see through the darkness.

3.4. Applications

Some vehicle models offer night vision enhancement as an optional accessory. General

Motors was one of the first to offer a night vision enhancement system with the Night Vision on the

2000 Cadillac Deville, but discontinued its use after the 2005 model year because of decreasing sales.

General Motor’s Night Vision system used thermal infrared, or FIR, technology and used the head-up

display (HUD) for displaying the Night Vision image. BMW offers a similar type of system on some

vehicle models, also called Night Vision, which uses the same type of FIR technology. The image is

displayed on a monitor located on the centre of the instrument panel (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 – BMW displays the monitor on the centre console to show Night Vision image.

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BMW vehicles equipped with this system may also be equipped with an automatic high beam

dimming system called High-Beam Assist. These systems also help with night time driving by

automatically switching from high to low beams when oncoming vehicles are detected.

Lexus began offering a night vision enhancement system on the 2003 LX470, called Night View. This

system uses image enhancement or NIR technology and uses two IR flood lamps to light the road

ahead with NIR light. The enhanced Night View image is displayed on the windshield using a HUD.

2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles offer a similar type of system called Night View Assist, using

the same NIR technology. On these vehicles the image is displayed on a high-resolution monitor

located in the instrument cluster (see Figure 2).

Figure 2 – Mercedes-Benz uses a high-resolution virtual instrument cluster for displaying the Night View Assist image.

Both types of systems are likely to have parts located in areas vulnerable to collision damage.

Certain steps should be followed to ensure that these systems work properly after repairs.

There may be some safety concerns as well.

3.5. Advantages

Improved vision conditions of dusk and darkness.

No dazzling by head lights of the oncoming vehicles.

Highlighting of illuminated, heat-emitting objects as pedestrian, cyclists, deer,

etc.

Better overview of the driving situations.

The zoom functions of the object in the far distance at high speeds.

Illumination of the bends/curves (pivoting of image details)

Illumination of dark courtyard and garage entrances.

Superior image quality.

Uninterrupted image.

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Immune to dynamic thermal environment

3.6. Disadvantages

The driver have to concentrate on road as well as well as on screen.

It is difficult to distinguish between objects in the foreground and the background

of the image.

The entire image is continuously changing and because pedestrians vary in scale

based on their distance to the viewer.

The probability of true warnings (i.e. when the driver is about to hit the

pedestrian) is low.

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4. FUTURE SCOPE

Night vision systems based on IR illumination can make an additional contribution to

traffic safety at night.

These systems are assistance systems providing the driver with additional information

on the traffic situation especially in the far range in addition to the dipped beam.

Light sources used in headlamps today such as halogen and gas discharge bulb can

also be used for IR illumination. In particular, the NIR spectral portion of halogen bulbs is

high. The use of IR-transmissive filters in projection lamps allows integration of IR

illumination in modern headlamps. CMOS cameras are interesting with regard to picture

recording. Their further development will be crucial for the progress of the active night vision

systems discussed here. The reproduction of the pictures, i.e. information transmission to the

driver, will play a key role with regard to acceptance of the system. Apart from simple

acoustic and visual warning signals, representation by means of LCD and HUD is also

discussed.

"Simple" passive systems based on heat radiation detection are already being

produced in series today.

Active night vision systems in private cars will probably be used in the near future.

4.1. More automotive applications in future

More and more people are discovering the advantages of thermal imaging cameras

for a wide variety of applications. Not only automotive but also security, maritime,

firefighting and other sometimes lifesaving applications are using the power of thermal

imaging. Volume production, combined with recent evolutions in detector technology, makes

thermal imaging technology much more affordable than before.

Trucks and busses

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Professional drivers, have to deal with a lot of stressful and dangerous factors

already during daytime such as poor and non-experienced drivers, heavy traffic and long

hours behind the wheel. This can put them, their vehicle, goods and passengers in dangerous

situations. Driving at night or in poor weather conditions even increases the danger. Thermal

imaging can help to protect themselves, their vehicles, loading and passengers.

Trains and metros

Poor visibility during night and in adverse weather conditions causes mishaps not

only on roads but on tracks as well. Trains and metros have a huge breaking distance

therefore people or objects on the track need to be detected as early as possible to avoid

accidents. Thermal imaging can also help train drivers when they go into dark tunnels.

Emergency vehicles

Emergency vehicles need to get to the scene of the accident as fast as possible. Also

at night, in all types of adverse weather conditions. The vision of fire truck and ambulance

drivers can also be obstructed by smoke when they are called to an accident where a fire is

involved. Thermal imaging is able to see through the smoke and ensures that emergency

vehicles can reach the accident fast and safe, without causing further accidents.

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5. CONCLUSION

According to the European Commission for the Automobile Industry, nearly 50

percent of all accidents occur at night. Since the same study showed about 60 percent less

traffic at night, it’s clear that a disproportionate number of accidents occur between dusk

and dawn. Since night vision isn’t widely available, there is no conclusive data. A study

performed by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration even revealed

that some people are willing to drive faster at night with the aid of these systems, which

could lead to more accidents.

However, other technologies that increase night time visibility have been shown to

reduce accidents. Since technologies like adaptive headlights have helped reduce night

time accidents, it’s possible that a wider adoption of night vision could have similar

effects.

Night vision systems can detect objects that are more than 500 feet away, but

traditional headlights typically only illuminate objects that are about 180 feet away. Since

the stopping distance of a car can easily be longer than 180 feet, it’s clear that the proper

use of a night vision system can help an alert driver avoid certain collisions.

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http://cartech.about.com/od/Safety/a/Anti-Lock-Brakes.htm

http://cartech.about.com/od/Safety/a/What-Are-Adaptive-Headlights.htm

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/index_en.htm

Night Vision In Cars

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