Can Embedded Vision Guide Autonomous Cars?

By Embedded Advisor | Monday, March 16, 2020

By allowing autonomous cars to see, embedded vision is converting science fiction into reality.

FREMONT, CA: It is the ability to see that has always been primary when it comes to driving vehicles. As far as manual driving is concerned, the driver's vision suffices. But with autonomous cars under consideration, the power of vision needs to be transferred into vehicles. Every aspect of a self-driving car depends on its ability to sense its surroundings. And with the rapidly advancing technology of embedded vision, innovators are today being able to introduce sophisticated detection systems into autonomous cars, facilitating accurate sensing capabilities. To understand how embedded vision is helping cars see better, consider the following points.

• Capturing the Details with Cameras

Advanced 2D and 3D cameras mounted on all sides of an autonomous vehicle are equipped to capture images and create an accurate representation of the surroundings. The images from the cameras are often stitched together to form a 360-degree view. Both short and long-range cameras find use in autonomous vehicles. It is essential that these cameras provide clear and dynamic images in most lighting conditions. Apart from facilitating driving, these cameras are also crucial to a car's self-parking capabilities.

• Low-Light Visibility with Radar Sensors

Cameras used in the embedded systems for vehicles are sometimes not optimized for low light conditions. Therefore, to augment an autonomous car's vision, radar sensors are incorporated into the embedded system. With radar sensors, it is possible to detect radio waves and determine the speed, shape, and location of an object. Even when it is dark, self-driving cars can detect objects around it, thanks to the sensors.

• Comprehensive Vision with LiDAR

As vehicles advance towards higher degrees of autonomy, vision, and detection capabilities also have to improve accordingly. The addition of LiDAR sensors to the embedded vision mix can help achieve that. LiDAR technology presents vehicles with a 3D view of its surroundings and allows proper determination of shapes and depths. Thus, cars having LiDAR in embedded systems can effectively detect other vehicles, pedestrians, and roads.

By allowing cars to see, embedded vision systems have transformed the potential of autonomous driving.

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