BMW Night Vision and High-Beam Assist Introduced
Munich July 22, 2005
Driving in the
dark
is still one of the most strenuous driving situations and one which tends
to
present a greater risk. For years, BMW has developed innovative
technologies
that provide relief for drivers at night and contribute to improved road
safety.
With the new driver assistance systems, BMW Night Vision and High-Beam
Assist, BMW drivers will be able to drive with improved vision in twilight
and
at night. Critical situations can potentially be identified earlier than
previously possible and one’s driving style adapted accordingly. In
addition to
helping provide increased driving safety, the task of driving is eased when
potentially critical situations are detected early on and redundant
operations
avoided. The driver thus experiences a significant gain in
comfort.
BMW Night Vision:
Innovative infrared technology for greater security in the dark.
Relief of the driver and active partner
protection.
A thermal imaging camera covers an area up to 300 m in front of the
vehicle. The image created on the central monitor displays objects more
brilliantly, the greater the warmth registered by the camera. People
(pedestrians
at the edge of the road) and animals (wild animals crossing the road) would
thus be the brightest areas of the image. BMW Night Vision offers
customers particular benefits on routes through the country, along narrow
roads, entrance drives and in dark underground garages, tangibly increasing
safety when driving at night.
the technology by adding other functional features. For example, the image section follows the course of the road (panning); objects in the distance can be enlarged (zoom). BMW Night Vision is activated/deactivated simply by means of a switch next to the light switch. BMW Night Vision is planned to be available in the BMW 7 Series (non-US versions) beginning in the fourth quarter of 2005.
High-Beam Assist:
More use of high beam on the road. Less distraction for the
driver.
With High-Beam Assist, available beginning in September 2005 in the
BMW 5
Series, 6 Series and 7 Series (non-US versions), a camera sensor
integrated in the inside rear view mirror housing registers lighting
activity
on the road and automatically controls the activation and deactivation of
the
high beam. The system identifies the headlights and rear lights of
vehicles, as
well as the surrounding road lighting. The high beam switches on in the
absence
of vehicles on the road ahead or oncoming traffic, provided the road itself
is
not sufficiently illuminated. BMW is the first European premium
manufacturer to
offer such a system.
A scientific study in the
High-Beam Assist makes a significant contribution to ensuring the high-beam
is
used more frequently. It also helps prevent other road users from being
dazzled
if the driver switches to low beam too late or not at all. At the same
time, it
enables the driver to concentrate more on the task of driving. All in all,
High-Beam Assist makes a significant contribution to driving
safety.
Xenon light, Adaptive Headlight, High-Beam Assist,
BMW Night Vision:
BMW initiative for safe and relaxed driving at
night.
BMW Night Vision and High-Beam Assist represent the current
to offer the driver increased comfort. Xenon headlights, which provide
significantly increase brilliance and range, were introduced in 1991
(Bi-Xenon
for low and high beam in 2001). This was followed in 2003 by Adaptive
Headlights, whose horizontally swiveling headlamps ensure considerably
improved
illumination of the road ahead.
BMW driver assistance systems:
Intelligent relief of the driver, without taking away
control
The function of BMW driver assistance systems is to support the driver
in
certain situations without taking away his responsibility to safely operate
the
vehicle. The driver remains the sole “master” of the vehicle.
On one hand,
driver assistance systems can provide the driver with improved information
on
potential dangers or give him/her an early warning. On the other hand, they
ease the task of driving by taking on simple, repetitive tasks. In general,
more information is a bonus in road traffic: up to 50% of all serious
accidents
are caused by the fact that the driver did not have needed information
early
enough. A linear increase in the quantity of information is not the aim,
however. Important information must be qualitatively processed and made
available at the right moment.
Pedestrians, animals and objects
potentially at
risk.Night driving: three times the risk of an accident as
compared to driving during the day.
Accident statistics show that driving at night represents a
significant
potential danger: in
A similar situation is to be found in the
The reasons are obvious: poor or significantly limited sight
conditions on
country roads, obstacles or narrow bends that are recognized too late with
the
low beam, inappropriate judgement of speed or distance due to a
lack of orientation for the eye, driving into the “black hole”
of the
headlights of oncoming traffic, possibly exacerbated by wet, reflecting
road
surfaces –
just to mention a few examples.
People (and animals) are particularly at risk in the
dark.
The darkly dressed jogger in twilight, the insufficiently lit cyclist
at
night: the increased risk to pedestrians poses one of the biggest safety
problems
in the dark. Here again, the German Federal Office for Statistics is clear:
over
25,000 accidents per year involving pedestrians and cyclists occur during
the night in
Aim: early detection of people and objects in the dark
beyond
the cone of light projected by the headlights.
All in all, facts, figures and experience show clearly that solutions
are
required for nighttime driving that reduce the risk of accidents.
Naturally,
public authorities bear a significant responsibility in terms of making
roads
safer with improved lighting, markings and signposting. However, the
vehicle
itself
offers considerable potential. Here, technologies must be used that can be
specifically adapted in vehicles. The aim of driver assistance systems is
to
enable the detection of potentially dangerous situations as early as
possible.
Here, there is no doubt that pedestrians, animals and objects at the
side,
or on the road represent the greatest potential dangers, especially if they
are
located outside the cone of light projected by the headlights. They can not
only endanger themselves but put other road users at
risk.
Driver assistance systems for increasing safety at night make sense
when
they help detect people, animals and objects and provide an early warning
system. BMW Night Vision and High-Beam Assist have particularly great
potential effectiveness for this very function.
Driver assistance systems do not offer total
safety.
Driver assistance systems such as High-Beam Assist and
BMW Night Vision cannot offer total safety. To promise this would be
misleading, and it is important that their potential is properly
understood.
They provide better information for the driver than was previously
available
and make potentially dangerous situations more easily recognizable, but
they do
not automatically intervene in the situation on the road. Driver assistance
systems work rather like a very attentive passenger, facilitating the
detection
of potentially critical situations for the driver according to the
principle of
“four eyes see more than two.”
Once driver assistance systems are activated by the driver, they
accompany
him continuously. Their function is to give the driver more information and
options, and an earlier warning of potential risk. This can be crucial: due
to
its long range (up to 300 m), BMW Night Vision provides a time gain
of about 5 seconds at 100 km/h (62mph) as compared to the detectability of
objects with high beam only. Ideally, therefore, with the high beam
switched
on, the driver can be informed 5 seconds earlier about a potentially
dangerous
situation.
The awareness of additional danger can provide relief for the driver
during
a strenuous nocturnal trip, thus allowing a more comfortable, relaxed
drive.
Xenon light, Adaptive Headlight, High-Beam Assist,
BMW Night Vision:
BMW initiative for safe and relaxed driving at night.
BMW Night Vision and High-Beam
Assist are the current
of the road ahead. Xenon headlights
are
now available for all models and are standard equipment on some BMW models,
while Adaptive Headlights are available as an optional extra for most BMW
models and as standard equipment on some. The introduction of High-Beam
Assist
and BMW Night Vision is the logical next step for BMW in creating
more safety and comfort in the dark.
More safety is desired by customers
Every responsible motorist is interested in optimum safety. This is
why
BMW Night Vision is anything but a mere technical exercise: a study in the
US
revealed that over 80 per cent of interviewees wanted a night vision
system, when asked to name desired automobile features to increase
safety.
In another study, also conducted in the
A comparison of night vision technologies:
Far Infrared (FIR) vs. Near Infrared (NIR).
Night vision: two differing technologies on the
market.
Night vision devices for military and civilian use have existed for
some
time. There are currently two different technologies: Near Infrared (NIR)
and
Far Infrared (FIR). NIR and FIR are initially differentiated by the
technological process by which they register the area in front of the
vehicle
and convert
this into image information for the driver:
• Near Infrared (NIR) beams an infrared light source into the
area in
front of the vehicle. The light is reflected by objects, the road and human
beings and photographed by an infrared camera. This is then converted to an
image in the processor and displayed on a screen.
• With Far Infrared (FIR), a thermal imaging camera directly
registers the heat radiated by objects and human beings, making a separate
light source from the vehicle superfluous. This information is then
converted
by
a processor into an image and displayed on the
screen.
FIR better suited for use in automobiles.
The two technologies are differentiated mainly in the method by which
they
visualize information from the surroundings on the screen. With
BMW Night Vision, BMW opted to develop a system based on FIR
technology. After intensive system comparisons and direct comparative
studies,
the choice fell to FIR since this system is better able to provide the
function
of early detection of human beings and objects in the dark. FIR
concentrates on
the most important information and ignores distracting
details.
Advantages for FIR based on technological
principles.
BMW engineers first recognized advantages based on the technological
principles of the system. For example, the range of night vision systems
based on FIR surpasses other technologies by up to 200 per cent, with NIR
essentially accounting only for the area already covered by a conventional
high
beam. Due to the strong heat radiation from people (pedestrians, cyclists)
and
animals (wild animals crossing the road) as compared to other objects
(buildings, traffic, road signs etc), the thermal image reflects the
potentially more dangerous situations on the road – i.e., exactly
those points
to which BMW Night Vision aims to draw the driver’s attention. At the
interface to the driver, the symbolic depiction of the thermal image on the
monitor screen places further emphasis on potentially critical
information.
BMW is the first European premium manufacturer to use and
develop FIR technology for increased customer
benefits.
BMW has further developed FIR technology for use in automobiles,
extending
it to include several other useful functions. The camera has a
significantly
larger angle of exposure (36 degrees) than that of other systems (typically
12
– 18 degrees). In addition, the image section shown on the monitor
follows the
course of the road and steering angle (panning). Furthermore, a digital
zoom
can be activated for higher road speeds, showing objects which are further
away
in enlarged form on the screen. Finally, the iDrive menu can be used to
adapt
brightness, contrast and screen display according to the individual
preferences
of the driver. BMW Night Vision is activated/deactivated by means of a
switch
next to the light switch.
Scientific research also gives a clear
message.
In the areas of utilization and technology, the two systems, NIR and
FIR,
can be further differentiated. This system comparison is based on a study
by
the Transportation Research Institute of the University of Michigan (UMTRI)
published in December 2004. UMTRI is one of the leading research
institutions
in the field of transportion and road traffic, and its partners include
leading
automobile manufacturers and numerous well-known names from the supply
industry. UMTRI conducted a scientific comparison of FIR and NIR night
vision
systems, focusing on the detection of human beings using this
system.
• FIR has fewer components.
Due to the fact that there is no internal light source as with NIR, FIR
systems
have fewer components.
• FIR allows you to see “farther”:
FIR
systems have a range of some 300 m; the average with NIR is 150 m.
Thus, the distances at which people were detected in the test were
significantly larger with FIR. On average, detection distances in the UMTRI
study were 165 m with FIR and 59 m with NIR.
• FIR isn’t “dazzled”: By
contrast, FIR systems only display objects that radiate heat – the
warmer the
object, the more intense the illumination. Generally speaking,
NIR
systems are sensitive to the headlamps of oncoming traffic, traffic lights,
street lamps and powerfully reflecting surfaces such as traffic signs.
Since
NIR systems use light waves as the basis for their image information,
especially-light-intensive
objects appear very brightly on the screen, or
they flash or appear as a diffuse shining. This also applies to the
light source of the NIR system when detected by another NIR system. Thus,
NIR
systems are susceptible to being dazzled by external light sources.
people and animals are shown as strikingly different from the rest of the
traffic environment.
• FIR: reduction to the essentials.
NIR
systems provide a complete depiction of the given road situation. However,
this
delays the detection of a person within the image as
a whole. NIR may be better suited for some purposes than FIR, but not for
use
in vehicles when identifying people. Due to the symbolic depiction used by
FIR
systems (comparable to a photographic negative), information provided by
NIR
systems is initially processed more quickly by some users, since it tends
to be
more familiar at first. However, after a period of familiarization, this is
reversed and the information processing speed in detecting people and
animals
is faster with FIR systems.
Night vision is not a replacement for watching the
road!
Night vision systems assist the driver by providing information. They
do
not replace the requirement of watching the road. Similarly, such systems
are
not comprehensive, nor do they eliminate the need to be aware of risks and
dangers on the road. Weather conditions also influence the quality of image
display – both with FIR and NIR. Rain drops and fog filter infrared
light, for example, and this can lead to a deterioration of image
quality.
When using night vision systems, one should always be aware of a
clearly
defined purpose. UMTRI argues as follows: “In view of traffic
conditions and night accidents, night vision systems should particularly increase the
recognizability of people, cyclists and
animals.”
BMW Night Vision.
Thermal imaging to detect people, animals and objects.
BMW Night Vision based on FIR technology is a receptive system which
uses the incoming heat radiation from human beings, animals and objects as
a
source of image data. The system is integrated in the existing electronic
environment of the vehicle on a modular basis. Only two additional hardware
components are required: the camera and the control unit. The 8.8 inch
monitor
required for display is installed in conjunction with the Professional
Navigation system.
BMW Night Vision Far Infrared
camera.
The thermal imaging camera is installed in the left part of the front
bumper in its own housing. It is protected by impact-resistant glass and a
fine
grid. The camera cleaner jet is activated along with the windscreen washer
system and ensures a clear view at all times; at outside temperatures below
+ 5
degrees C (+41 F), the glass cover is heated.
The camera operates with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels
and has a range of some 300 m; the image sensor registers heat radiated
from
people and objects within a wave band of 8 – 14 m. At speeds
below 80 km/h (50 mph), the large horizontal aperture angle of the camera
of 36
degrees means that not only the road can be identified but also the areas
at
the side of the road and surroundings (children, wild
animals).
BMW Night Vision control unit.
The control unit receives data from the camera and converts it into an
image on the central monitor. Depending on outside conditions, the image is
electronically brightened or darkened.
At medium road speeds, the zone displayed on the monitor covers an
angle
of 24 degrees; this zone moves as the road turns – up to 6 degrees to
the left
or right. This so-called panning movement is controlled by the parameter
“steering angle of wheels”. At higher road speeds, a digital
zoom can be
activated which displays objects at a greater distance in 1.5 : 1
enlargement.
Display on the on-board monitor.
BMW Night Vision provides the driver with the night vision image
as a contrasting black-and-white display on the central monitor in the
instrument
panel. Use of the Head-Up Display was considered by BMW. However,
tests showed that the superimposition of real and virtual image information
could cause irritation and is therefore not optimum.
Basic operation using a switch, fine control with
iDrive.
BMW Night Vision is switched on and off using a switch next to
the light switch. An iDrive menu is used to activate panning/zoom. The
driver
has the option to adjust brightness and contrast and to select between full
screen and split screen monitor displays.
Planned to be available in the 7 Series as of fourth
quarter
2005.
BMW Night Vision is planned to be available beginning in the
fourth quarter of 2005 in the BMW 7 Series (non-US versions).
Extension to other BMW model series is planned. BMW Night Vision will
also be available for retrofit as an Original BMW Accessory (not in the
Please note: there is no timetable at this time for introduction of
this
technology to the
BMW Night Vision is the beginning of a
development.
As with the introduction of other innovations, there will be several
stages of development with BMW Night Vision. The system is a significant
improvement in the identification of critical situations when driving at
night.
However, it cannot provide comprehensive safety at night and does not
relieve
the driver of his responsibility for safe operation of the vehicle.
A research focus for the future lies in the fact that Night Vision
systems
might be able to identify critical situations within the general traffic
environment
and warn the driver via diverse on-board display functions. Initial steps
towards so-called object detection have already been taken, however system
performance is not yet in line with the demands made of such a system by
BMW
and its customers. The error rate of object recognition is still too high,
and
this could potentially frustrate the driver. Only when such systems do
justice
to BMW requirements would they be put into series
production.
High-Beam Assist.
Automated activation of the high beam.
In practice, the high beam is rarely used and not always
switched
off in time.
Unfortunately, the high beam is very rarely used in practice, even
though
such use would be more frequently possible and even desirable. A scientific
study
in the
Other studies have shown that when drivers switch on the high beam,
they often fail to deactivate it in time, thus unnecessarily dazzling other
road users. Such situations can also be avoided by means of intelligent
technology.
More frequent use of the high beam, no dazzling of other
road
users, relief for the driver.
High-Beam Assist makes it possible to use the high beam more
frequently
and correctly. At the same time it provides relief for the driver and thus
increases comfort. All in all, High-Beam Assist makes a significant
contribution to driving safety.
High-Beam Assist optimizes the use of the high beam precisely for
those
driving situations in which the high beam is permitted and desirable.
This increases the duration of high beam activation. It also ensures that
the
high beam is deactivated in time, so as not to dazzle other road users.
For the driver, High-Beam Assist means a tangible increase in comfort: the
sensor-controlled automation of High-Beam Assist relieves him
almost completely of the need to activate and deactivate the high
beam.
Function.
A sensor at the front of the inside rear view mirror controls the
automatic activation and deactivation of the high beam. High-Beam Assist
ensures that the high beam is switched on whenever the surrounding traffic
allows and requires it. The sensor consists of a camera which is attached
to
the inside rear view mirror housing. The image is fed into an electronic
evaluation system.
The high beam is automatically deactivated in the following
situations:
• oncoming traffic (including motorcycles).
Here, the system recognizes the high or low beam of vehicles.
• vehicles driving ahead.
The red rear lights of vehicles are recognized.
• with sufficient street lighting, i.e., in built-up
areas.
• At low speeds, when driving with the high beam does not provide any
increase in safety.
The system also analyses the brightness and color of the light source
so
as to imitate human use of the high beam as closely as possible. It is
designed
so that road users within a range of up to approximately 1,000 m are
detected.
Familiar use without additional
switches.
High-Beam Assist does not require additional switches or operating
elements. It is activated by means of the light control unit by putting the
rotational
knob on automatic (same position as for the activation of the light sensor
for
automatic control of the low beam). In addition, the direction indicator
lever
must be pushed towards high beam, if currently on low beam. A control lamp
in
the instrument panel indicates that High-Beam Assist is
activated.
High-Beam Assist as a driver assistance
system:
manual intervention possible at all
times.
High-Beam Assist is a driver assistance system that – like BMW Night Vision – does not relieve
the driver of his responsibility to operate the vehicle safely, but
provides
him with support. High-Beam Assist can be manually overridden at any time
with
the usual functions of “Permanent low beam” or “Permanent
high beam”. Also, the
headlamp flasher can be used normally at all times.
High-Beam Assist cannot replace a personal decision regarding the use
of
the high beam. Nor can there be a guarantee that all situations will be
correctly judged by the system. Unfavorable weather conditions such as
thick
fog can limit the function of High-Beam Assist. Other road users with poor
illumination – such as pedestrians, cyclists, riders, etc., cannot be
reliably
detected by the system. In poorly lit towns, for example, the high beam
should
be manually deactivated.
BMW as the first premium manufacturer in
High-Beam Assist.
BMW will be the first premium manufacturer in
6 Series and 7 Series (non-US versions) as an option.
Please note: there is no timetable at this time for introduction of
this
technology to the