An automotive night vision system uses a

thermographic camera Infrared thermography (IRT), thermal video or thermal imaging, is a process where a Thermographic camera, thermal camera captures and creates an image of an object by using infrared radiation emitted from the object in a process, which are exa ...

to increase a driver's perception and seeing distance in darkness or poor weather beyond the reach of the vehicle's

headlight A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...

s. Such systems are offered as optional equipment on certain premium vehicles. The technology was first introduced in the year 2000 on the

Cadillac Deville The Cadillac DeVille is a model name used by Cadillac over eight generations, originally to designate a trim level of the 1949 Cadillac Series 62 and later for a standalone model in the brand range. The last model marketed specifically as a ''D ...

. This technology is based on the night vision devices (NVD), which generally denotes any electronically enhanced optical devices operate in three modes: image enhancement, thermal imaging, and active illumination. The automotive night vision system is a combination of NVDs such as

infrared cameras Infrared thermography (IRT), thermal video or thermal imaging, is a process where a thermal camera captures and creates an image of an object by using infrared radiation emitted from the object in a process, which are examples of infrared imag ...

GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geol ...

Lidar Lidar (, also LIDAR, an acronym of "light detection and ranging" or "laser imaging, detection, and ranging") is a method for determining ranging, ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected li ...

, and

Radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

, among others to sense and detect objects.

Display type

Instrument cluster A dashboard (also called dash, instrument panel or IP, or fascia) is a control panel set within the central console of a vehicle, boat, or cockpit of an aircraft or spacecraft. Usually located directly ahead of the driver (or pilot), it displ ...

using a high resolution

liquid-crystal display A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other Electro-optic modulator, electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers to display information. Liq ...

(LCD), newest type *

navigation system A navigation system is a computing system that aids in navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board the vehicle or vessel that the system is controlling (for example, on the ship's bridge) or located elsewhere, making use of radio or oth ...

or information screen, least expensive and with display's location further away from driver's field of vision (used exclusively by

BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, trading as BMW Group (commonly abbreviated to BMW (), sometimes anglicised as Bavarian Motor Works), is a German multinational manufacturer of vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Th ...

, and the W212 E-class) *

windshield The windshield (American English and Canadian English) or windscreen (Commonwealth English) of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike, truck, train, boat or streetcar is the front window, which provides visibility while protecting occupants from t ...

via

head-up display A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD () or head-up guidance system (HGS), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a ...

, earliest type, dimmer knob can reduce brightness, display nearest to driver's line of sight There are two types of systems, either passive or active systems, both have advantages and disadvantages when compared to the other. The passive system pertains to the technologies that detect thermal radiation emitted by humans, animals, and other objects in the road while the active systems illuminate objects as a significant distance ahead using infrared light sources.

Active systems

Active systems use an

infrared light Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those o ...

source built into the car to illuminate the road ahead with light that is invisible to humans. There are two kinds of active systems: gated and non-gated. The gated system uses a pulsed light source and a synchronized camera that enable long ranges (250m) and high performance in rain and snow. Near

Infrared Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those ...

wavelength is 0.75–1.4

µm The micrometre (Commonwealth English as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American English), also commonly known by the non-SI term micron, is a unit of length in the International System ...

is smaller and can pass between the typical fog particles. Fog particles sizes are typically 10 to 15 microns and ranges is sizes from 1 to 100 microns.

Far infrared Far infrared (FIR) or long wave refers to a specific range within the infrared spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. It encompasses radiation with wavelengths ranging from 15 μm ( micrometers) to 1 mm, which corresponds to a freque ...

has a wavelength of 15 micrometers (µm) to 1 mm. During night-time operations, police officers with range gated near infrared cameras can read license plates at a distance of up to 1.2 km. Near Infrared (NIR) cameras are available to see 50 km through fog, haze, smoke, rain. *Pros: higher resolution image, superior picture of inanimate objects, works better in warmer conditions, smaller sensor can be mounted to

rearview mirror A rearview mirror (or rear-view mirror) is a, usually flat, mirror in automobiles and other vehicles, designed to allow the driver to see rearward through the vehicle's rear window (rear windshield). In cars, the rearview mirror is usually af ...

. *Cons: does not work as well in fog or rain, lower contrast for animals, shorter range of 150–200 meters or 500–650 feet

Mercedes-Benz

Night View Assist prototype was shown in 2003 on the

Mercedes-Benz F500 Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to simply as Mercedes and occasionally as Benz, is a German automotive brand that was founded in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group, established in 2019) is based in Stuttgart, ...

concept. Series production Night View Assist system introduced in 2005 on the redesigned

Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W221) The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of the fifth generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class, S-Class, produced from August 2005 until June 2013. The W221 S-Class was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show#2005, 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show as the successo ...

. It was the first system to use the instrument cluster's LCD as a display. 2009: Night View Assist Plus added a pedestrian detection function calling the revised system on the redesigned

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W212) The W212 and S212 Mercedes-Benz E-Class series is the fourth generation of the E-Class range of executive cars which was produced by Mercedes-Benz between 2009 and 2016 as the successor to the W211 E-Class. The body styles of the range are ei ...

and refreshed S-class, however, the E-class uses the navigation screen's display. 2011: Night View Assist Plus with Spotlight Function premiere: the

Mercedes-Benz CL-Class (C216) The Mercedes-Benz C216 is the last generation for the grand tourer with name Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, produced from 2006 to 2014. It replaced the Mercedes-Benz C215, C215 platform, and was replaced in 2014 by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (C217), C217 ...

became the first series production car with night vision-guided

pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, by wheelchair or with other mobility aids. Streets and roads often have a designated footpath for pedestrian traffic, called the '' sidewalk'' in North American English, the ''pavement'' in British En ...

spotlighting ( HID version) can flash at any

s it detects in order to warn both the driver and the pedestrians. The flashing light is directed in such a way that vehicles in front and oncoming traffic are not dazzled. 2013: Night View Assist Plus with animal detection on the W222 S-Class.

Toyota

In 2002 Toyota Night View was the first worldwide series production active automotive night vision system, introduced on the

Toyota Landcruiser The , also sometimes spelt as LandCruiser, is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. It is Toyota's longest running series of models. , the sales of the Land Cruiser totalled more than 1 ...

Cygnus or

Lexus LX The is a full-size luxury SUV sold by Lexus, a luxury division of Toyota since January 1996, having entered manufacturing in November 1995. It is Lexus' largest and most expensive luxury SUV. Four generations have been produced, all based heavi ...

470. This system uses the headlight projectors emitting near infrared light aimed like the car's highbeam headlights and a

CCD camera A charge-coupled device (CCD) is an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors. Under the control of an external circuit, each capacitor can transfer its electric charge to a neighboring capacitor. CCD sensors are a ...

then captures that reflected radiation, this signal is then processed by computer which produces a black-and-white image which is projected on the lower section of the windshield. In February 2008 the Toyota Crown Hybrid added a feature which highlights

pedestrians A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, by wheelchair or with other mobility aids. Streets and roads often have a designated footpath for pedestrian traffic, called the ''sidewalk'' in North American English, the ''pavement'' in British Eng ...

and presents them in a box on an LCD display in front of the driver. This was the first

pedestrian detection Pedestrian detection is an essential and significant task in any intelligent video surveillance system, as it provides the fundamental information for semantic understanding of the video footages. It has an obvious extension to automotive applic ...

feature for an active system. In 2009, Lexus introduced Night View on the LS, but only in Japan. In 2012

Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota, Toyota Motor Corporation. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked amon ...

introduced Night View worldwide, on LShttp://www.toyota.com/esq/pdf/The%202013%20LS%20Advanced%20Active%20Safety%20%282%290.pdf 2013 Lexus LS Advanced Active Safety Features and GS. The Night View system combines a windshield mounted near infra-red camera and near infra-red projectors within the headlamps with a Night View ECU to display an image of the road ahead on center console display screen. Moving the image from the driver’s instrument display to the center console offers drivers a larger display and an easier viewing angle. With the camera constantly in operation and the near infra-red projectors activating at speeds over 10 MPH to enhance system efficiency, night view will display an area up to 65 feet in front of the vehicle. This system was discontinued for 2014 in the US.

Passive systems

Passive infrared systems do not use an infrared light source, instead they capture

thermal radiation Thermal radiation is electromagnetic radiation emitted by the thermal motion of particles in matter. All matter with a temperature greater than absolute zero emits thermal radiation. The emission of energy arises from a combination of electro ...

already emitted by the objects, using a

. *Pros: greater range of about 300 meters or 1,000 feet, higher contrast for living objects *Cons: grainy, lower resolution image, works poorly in warmer weather conditions, larger sensor

Audi

Night Vision Assistant was introduced in 2010 on the

Audi A8 The Audi A8 is a full-size luxury vehicle, luxury sedan (car), sedan manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi since 1994. Succeeding the Audi V8, and now in its fourth generation, the A8 has been offered with either front-wheel dri ...

. It uses a thermal imaging camera behind the four rings at the front of the car which can "see" 300 meters (984 ft) ahead. The display in the instrument cluster highlights humans with yellow markings. More importantly, the computer can determine if the person on the road moves in a way that could lead to a collision with the car. In that case the pedestrian is being marked in red color and the driver of the car receives an audible warning. 2013 update added

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...

detection. and Pedestrian Marker Lights: As soon as a

is detected by the Night Vision Assistant in a critical range in front of the vehicle, individual

Matrix LED A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...

s flash briefly 3 times in succession to alert that person, who is then clearly visible to the driver.

BMW

BMW Night Vision introduced in 2005 on the

BMW 7 Series (E65) The fourth generation of the BMW 7 Series consists of the BMW E65 and BMW E66 luxury cars. The E65/E66 was produced from 2001 to 2008 and is often collectively referred to as the E65. The E65 replaced the BMW 7 Series (E38), E38 7 Series and was ...

. This system processes far infrared radiation, which minimizes non-essential information placing a greater emphasis on pedestrians and animals, allows for a range of 300 meters or nearly 1,000 feet, and avoids "dazzle" from headlights, road lights and similar intense light sources. 2008 update added pedestrian detection system on the redesigned BMW 7 Series (F01), which flashes a caution symbol on the navigation/information screen and

automotive head-up display An automotive head-up display, also known as an automotive heads-up display or auto-HUD, is a transparent display that presents data in an automobile without requiring a driver to look away from his usual viewpoint. The origin of the name stems fr ...

when it detects pedestrians. 2013 update added Dynamic Light Spot. 2013 update added animal detection. The system provides a real-time video image that also depicts on the Control Display persons, animals and other objects emitting heat when they are outside of the light beam and warns in the event of an impending collision. The Dynamic Light Spot is produced by a special headlight that directs the light beam onto the recognised persons or animals respectively, thus drawing the driver’s attention to possible hazards in good time. As soon as the remote infrared detects pedestrians or larger animals on course for collision in the dark, the system directs two separately controlled Dynamic Light Spots at them without creating an unpleasant glare. In the event of an acute risk, an acoustic warning signal is also sounded and the brakes are set to maximum standby. For the model year 2014, the BMW 5 Series will also have these new features.

Cadillac

First worldwide series production automotive night vision on 2000

: Night Vision, however it was discontinued in 2004. This system was developed with

Raytheon Raytheon is a business unit of RTX Corporation and is a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. Founded in 1922, it merged in 2020 with Unite ...

and worked by using a ''passive infrared'' sensor camera mounted behind the vehicle's grille. Infrared radiation is picked up by the sensor, processed by computer and then displayed on the windshield using a head-up display. Information is displayed as a black-and-white image with warmer objects in white, while cooler objects appear black. Because this system outputs a standard NTSC composite video signal and the used parts are somewhat easy and inexpensive to find, it has become a popular choice for fitting thermal night vision to other vehicles. After a long hiatus, the 2016 flagship

Cadillac CT6 The Cadillac CT6 (short for ''Cadillac Touring 6'') is a full-size luxury car manufactured by Cadillac between 2016 and 2020 over two generations. The first generation CT6 was introduced at the 2015 New York International Auto Show and went on s ...

was equipped with an improved version of the Enhanced Night Vision, in which the images are displayed and embedded in the instrument panel instead of being displayed as a reflection on the windshield.

Honda

In 2004, Honda introduced first worldwide system with pedestrian detection on redesigned

Honda Legend The is a series of V6 engine, V6-engined executive cars that was produced by Honda between 1985 and 2021, and served as its flagship vehicle. The Legend has also been sold under the Acura Legend, Acura RL, RL and Acura RLX, RLX nameplates — t ...

: Intelligent Night Vision. It detected

far infrared Far infrared (FIR) or long wave refers to a specific range within the infrared spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. It encompasses radiation with wavelengths ranging from 15 μm ( micrometers) to 1 mm, which corresponds to a freque ...

radiation. The pedestrian detection feature alerted the driver with an audio warning and visually enclosed the pedestrian in a box on the display which was presented via head-up display. The night vision system uses a separate heads up type display projected on the center bottom of the windshield. The infrared cameras do not require a light source, and the software is able to detect human like figures, surround the image with a red box and give audible caution tones.

DS Automobiles

DS Night Vision offers road visibility by night. An infrared camera in the front grill identifies objects, pedestrians and animals on the road at a distance of up to 100m. A digital instrument cluster shows the driver the area around the car in infrared, with a yellow line around any sources of potential danger. For critical danger, the line becomes red, allowing the driver to react to the situation. The

DS 7 Crossback The DS 7 is a compact luxury crossover SUV from the French automaker DS Automobiles. Presented for the first time on 28 February 2017, the vehicle's public premiere was at the 87th Geneva Motor Show in March 2017 and was known as the DS 7 Crossba ...

is the first DS vehicle to include Night Vision.

Peugeot

On the

Peugeot 508 The Peugeot 508 is a mid-size/large family car produced by the French automaker Peugeot since 2010, and followed by the 508 SW, an estate version, in 2011. Since 2012, the 508 has been the flagship model by Peugeot, slotted above the 208 and ...

, an optional night vision system helps to see pedestrians and animals during the night and alert the driver.

Automobiles

Active

*2002-2007 Lexus LX 470 (windshield) *2009

Lexus LS The is a series of full-size luxury sedans that have served as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, since 1989. For the first four generations, all LS models featured V8 engines and were predominantly rear-wheel-drive ...

(instrument cluster)¹ *2012

(navigation screen)¹ *2012

Lexus GS The is an executive car ( E-segment in Europe) manufactured and marketed by Lexus across four generations — launched in 1991 as the Toyota Aristo in Japan and as the Lexus GS for markets outside the Japanese market beginning in February ...

(navigation screen)¹ *2006

(instrument cluster)¹ *2014

Mercedes-Benz S-Class (C217) The Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé and Convertible (C217/A217) are grand tourers manufactured by Mercedes-Benz from 2014 to 2020. Development Concept S-Class Coupé (2013) The Concept S-Class Coupé was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor S ...

(instrument cluster)¹ *2009

(navigation screen)¹ *2010 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (W218) (navigation screen)¹ *2006

(instrument cluster) *2013

Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222) The Mercedes-Benz W222 is the sixth generation of the Mercedes Benz S-Class produced from 2013 to 2020, serving as the successor to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W221), W221 S-Class and predecessor to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W223), W223 S-Clas ...

(instrument cluster)¹ *2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class#Third generation (W166: 2011–present)¹ *2012

Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (X166) The X166 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is a full-size luxury crossover SUV produced from 2012 to 2019. It is the second generation model in the GL-Class range, and was renamed GLS as of the 2016 facelift. Development and launch The X166 GL-Class d ...

¹ *2012

Mercedes-Benz R231 R231 is a chassis code for the sixth generation of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class roadster, replacing the Mercedes-Benz R230, R230. The car was released in March 2012 and uses Mercedes-Benz's new 4.7 litre twin turbo V8 engine with a power output of ...

SL-Class¹ *2008 Toyota Crown Hybrid (instrument cluster)¹ *2002 Toyota Landcruiser Cignus (windshield)

Passive

*2014

(instrument cluster)¹ *2011 Audi A6 C7 (instrument cluster)¹ *2010-2018 Audi A8 D4 *2010-2017 Audi A7 (instrument cluster)¹ *2018-2020 Audi A7 (instrument cluster)¹ *2016

Audi Q7 The Audi Q7 is a crossover SUV made by the German manufacturer Audi, unveiled in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Production of this seven-seater SUV began in November 2005 at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. ...

(instrument cluster)¹ *2005

BMW 5 Series The BMW 5 Series is an executive car manufactured and marketed by BMW since 1972. It is the successor to the BMW New Class sedans and is currently in its eighth generation. The car is sold as either a sedan or, since 1991, a station wagon (marke ...

(navigation screen) *2008

(navigation screen)¹ *2005

BMW 7 Series The BMW 7 Series is a full-size luxury car, luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by the German automaker BMW since 1977. It is the successor to the BMW E3 "New Six" sedan and is now in its seventh generation. The 7 Series is BMW's flagship car ...

(navigation screen) *2008

(navigation screen)¹ *2011

BMW 6 Series The BMW 6 Series is a range of grand tourers produced by BMW since 1976. It is the successor to the E9 Coupé and is currently in its fourth generation. The first generation BMW E24 6 Series was available solely as a two-door coupé and produce ...

(navigation screen)¹ *2013

BMW X5 (F15) The BMW X5 (F15) is the third generation of the X5 series of mid-size Luxury car, luxury Crossover (automobile), crossover SUVs manufactured and marketed worldwide by BMW from 2013 to 2018. The car was unveiled at the International Motor Show Germ ...

(navigation screen)¹ *2014 BMW X6 (F16)(navigation screen)¹ *2009

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo The sixth generation of the BMW 5 Series consists of the BMW F10 (saloon version), F18 (long-wheelbase saloon), BMW F11 (wagon, marketed as ''Touring'') and BMW F07 (fastback/hatchback, marketed as ''Gran Turismo'') executive cars and were pr ...

(navigation screen)¹ *2000-2004

(windshield) *2016-2020

(instrument cluster)¹ *2004

(windshield)¹ *2017

(instrument cluster)¹ *2018

(instrument cluster)¹ *2020

Peugeot 3008 The Peugeot 3008 is a compact crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by Peugeot. It was first presented to the public in Dubrovnik, Croatia in 2008, and then again in 2010 at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris, by the French manufacturer ...

& Peugeot 5008 (instrument cluster)¹ :¹ includes pedestrian and animal detection

References

{{Car-interior Advanced driver assistance systems Infrared imaging