What Is a Vehicle Camera?
A vehicle camera is installed in automobiles and public transportation systems to capture images and data while the vehicle is in motion.
Vehicle cameras come in various forms and functions. In addition to improving driving safety and enhancing situational awareness of the vehicle’s surroundings, they also serve as security measures. Some advanced models are equipped with driving assistance functions such as obstacle detection, lane departure warning, and automatic parking support.
Particularly in public transportation, these systems deter crime and collect evidence in the event of an incident by recording conditions inside the vehicle and during boarding and exiting. Many public transportation systems, including buses, cabs, and railroads, are installing vehicle cameras to help ensure passenger safety.
Vehicle cameras are critical to vehicle safety and play an important role in the advancement of automated driving technology. For designers and purchasers in the automotive industry, selecting and integrating the right Vehicle Camera is crucial for developing next-generation vehicles.
Uses of Vehicle Cameras
Given their functionality and versatility, vehicle cameras have become integral to modern automobiles, serving various applications.
1. Parking Assistance
Parking, a challenging aspect of driving, is made less stressful with Vehicle Cameras. They provide rear and top views, aiding drivers in accurately judging distances to surrounding obstacles.
2. Accident Recording
A vehicle camera is a reliable tool for documenting accidents or collisions, offering valuable evidence for insurance claims or police reports. Its footage is often crucial in determining the cause and responsibility of an incident.
3. Driving Record
These cameras help record daily driving, which is useful for analyzing and improving driving habits or providing evidence during specific incidents or disputes.
4. In-Vehicle Surveillance
Beyond driving assistance, vehicle cameras are used for in-vehicle surveillance to deter theft, record behavior in cabs and delivery industries, and monitor passengers in shared vehicles.
5. As Part of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems)
A vehicle camera can be an essential component of ADAS, supporting features like lane departure warnings, forward collision alerts, and pedestrian detection. These systems aim to augment driver reaction times and prevent accidents.
6. Crime Prevention in Public Transportation
In public transportation systems such as buses, cabs, and railroads, recording conditions inside vehicles and during passenger boarding and exiting helps deter crime and collect evidence in the event of an incident. These cameras play an important role in ensuring passenger safety.
Principles of Vehicle Cameras
Vehicle camera systems are categorized into monocular and stereo systems.
1. Monocular Camera System
A monocular system uses a single camera to estimate distances to objects based on image coordinates. Despite being cost-effective and compact, these cameras traditionally had a higher margin of error, which has been reduced with advances in image processing technology.
2. Stereo Camera System
Stereo systems utilize two cameras for object recognition, employing triangulation to measure distances and create a three-dimensional view of the scene. This process includes pre-processing, image transformation, matching to estimate disparity (using methods like SGM and SAD), and triangulation.
Types of Vehicle Cameras
The functionality and application of vehicle cameras dictate their variety. Key types include:
1. Front Camera
Located at the vehicle’s front, it expands the forward field of view, detecting obstacles, lanes, traffic signals, and pedestrians, thereby informing the driver.
2. Rear View Camera
Placed at the rear, it captures conditions behind the vehicle, improving safety during parking by offering views not visible in the rearview mirror.
3. Side View Camera
Mounted on the vehicle’s sides, it covers blind spots, enhancing visibility during lane changes or at intersections.
4. All-Round Camera System
A combination of multiple cameras around the vehicle provides a 360-degree view, facilitating parking and maneuvering in tight spaces.