Vehicle Blind Spot Detection Using Anisotropic Magnetic Resistive Sensors

This paper describes a method for detecting vehicles in the rear blind spot zones using magneto resistive sensors. The earth's magnetic field provides a uniform field over great distances and ferrous objects create a localized disturbance in the (X,Y,Z) component directions when placed near the sensor whether they are moving or standing still. Since this method does not provide an exact measurement of distance (passive vs. active sensing), filtering and extracting information from detailed analysis of variations in the magnetic field provide vehicle presence information and an estimated distance measurement. This system has been applied to achieve vehicle detection of a close proximity 6-10 ft from the side and rear of the vehicle.