A cruise-assist image generation device includes: a steering-angle information acquisition unit acquiring steering angle information of a steering wheel; an additional line generation unit generating a cruise assist additional line corresponding to the acquired steering angle information and formed by combination of a given number of segments; and an additional line superimposing unit superimposing the generated cruise assist additional line on a taken image of the vehicle periphery to obtain a composite image. The additional line generation unit generates respective curved lines forming part or all of the given number of segments by quadratic curve approximation using coordinate data corresponding to the acquired steering angle information and including coordinates of two endpoints and one middle point representing each segment, and generating respective straight lines forming the remains of the given number of segments by collinear approximation using coordinate data corresponding to the acquired steering angle information and including coordinates of two end points representing each segment.

A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and configured to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes multiple lens units on which an optical image of the external environment is incident, individually, and an imaging system to generate an outside image of the external environment by imaging through each of the lens units, individually.

An apparatus includes a sensor assembly and a stray light baffle, and is to be mounted behind a pane, e.g. a windshield, inside a vehicle. The sensor assembly includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The stray light baffle is arranged substantially in front of the first sensor, in the capture direction of the sensors. The stray light baffle includes first and second side walls. The second side wall is a frame with a fabric covering, and is arranged in front of the second sensor with the sensing axis of the second sensor passing through the fabric.

A system that facilitates collecting data is described herein. The system includes a digital camera that is configured to capture images in a visible light spectrum and a near-infrared camera that is configured to capture near infrared images, wherein a field of view of the digital camera and the field of view of the near-infrared camera are substantially similar. The system further includes a trigger component that is configured to cause the digital camera and the near-infrared camera to capture images at a substantially similar point in time, and also includes a mounting mechanism that facilitates mounting the digital camera and the near-infrared camera to an automobile.

A system, such as a driver assistance system, arranged to form images of outside a vehicle for viewing from an eye box region within the vehicle. The system comprises an image capture device, a picture generating unit and an optical element. The image capture device is arranged to be mounted to the vehicle. The image capture device is arranged to capture images outside the vehicle. The optical element is disposed in front of the replay plane. The optical element has a focal length. The distance between the replay plane and the optical element is less that the focal length of the optical element such that the optical element forms a virtual image of each picture for viewing from the eye box region. The picture generating unit may be a holographic projector. The holographic projector may be arranged to form pictures on a replay plane. Each picture may correspond to an image captured by the image capture device.

An improved video-based rear-view mirror system for vehicles including motorcycles (but also with application to other vehicles including cars, trucks, bicycles, and so on) includes at least one digital display screen configured to be mounted in a side-mirror positioned unit; and at least one camera unit coupled to the digital display screen, such that the digital display screen is configured to display video data captured by the camera unit; wherein the system is configured such that the video data displayed by the at least one display screen is tuned to provide a side-mirror proxy view.

A shutterless far-infrared (FIR) camera for advanced driver assistance systems, including at least one optical unit including at least one lens; an FIR sensor coupled to the optical unit and configured to capture FIR images; and an integrated circuit (IC) configured to process the captured FIR images to output an enhanced thermal video stream, wherein the IC further includes: a processing circuitry; and a memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, configure the processing circuitry to perform image corrections including at least a shutterless correction.

A method for determining presence of water droplets at an outer side of a vehicle windshield includes equipping a vehicle with a vehicular vision system having a camera disposed behind an inner side of the vehicle windshield so as to view exterior of the vehicle through the windshield. The camera includes a primary lens, a secondary lens and an imager, which has a primary sensing area and a secondary sensing area. Image data representative of images focused at the imager by the primary lens is captured at the primary sensing area of the imager. Image data representative of images focused at the imager by the secondary lens is captured at the secondary sensing area of the imager. Responsive to processing at the control of image data captured by the imager at the secondary sensing area, presence of water droplets at the outer side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle.

A collision avoidance and/or pedestrian detection system for a large passenger vehicle such as commuter bus, which includes one or more exterior and/or interior sensing devices positioned strategically around the exterior and interior of the vehicle for recording data, method for avoiding collisions and/or detecting pedestrians, and features/articles of manufacture for improving same, is described herein in various embodiments. The sensing devices may be responsive to one or more situational sensors, and may be connected to one or more interior and/or exterior warning systems configured to alert a driver inside the vehicle and/or a pedestrian outside the vehicle that a collision may be possible and/or imminent based on a path of the vehicle and/or a position of the pedestrian as detected by one or more sensing devices and/or situational sensors.

An apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive ambient light information from a sensor. The processor may be configured to extract from the ambient light information (a) a brightness level and (b) a direction of light, compare the brightness level to a pre-determined threshold and generate a control signal if (a) the brightness level is greater than the pre-determined threshold and (b) the direction of the light corresponds to a field of view of a driver. The ambient light information may be determined in response to light directed towards one or more windows. The control signal may be configured to adjust an amount of tinting applied to the windows. The light may be measured in real-time.