Infrared Technology for “ACC” and Future Advanced Applications

To be an assistance for the driver and make his journeys more comfortable are the aims of the first “ACC” (Adaptive Cruise Control). It is the first step of a new area for the automotive future. ODIN is the name of the ACC-sensor made by ADC GmbH Switzerland, which based on infrared light (IR). There are full of parameters to describe the situation in front of a vehicle. Developing an ACC-sensor, needs to define this parameters exactly. What are the requirements? This will be discussed in the first section of the lecture.

The near IR is out from research and already a cheap and reliable technology. Due to the close relation between the visible light the IR technology is predestinated for an forward looking sensor. The differences between other technologies will be illustrated. ODIN has been quite a success for many ACC application at the automotive industry. ADC still improve their knowledge and wants to present how we come up to the requirements of ACC.

In the second section of the lecture, the vision of advanced driver assistance systems, equipped with infrared and supplementary technology will be described. If the ACC is a very simple comfort system, the next generation of systems will be more and more safety systems. On the path to collision avoidance, the goal at the horizon, a lot of sub-functions have to be developed, tested, compared and adapted to the behaviour of the human driver. Stop&Go, emergency braking, city ACC, lane keeping support, fall a sleep warning, blind spot supervision, pass over support are all sub functions to the final goal. Single beam-sensor solution, which are comparable with a blind stick in front of a vehicle, are no longer sufficient for the high demands to failure redundancy and reliability of such systems. Simple driving path estimation solutions with on-board systems has to be replaced with detection systems for the driving trajectory. Future driver assistance and safety systems have to deal not only with licensed vehicles. They also have handle situations with (dangerous) obstacles, children and animals “Simple” measurements of range and range rate to the relevant object have to be supplemented with traffic scenario interpretation modules. ADC GmbH Switzerland is prepared to join your future in safe and reliable advanced driver assistance systems.