A driving assistance apparatus comprises an image recognition unit configured to acquire an image of a traffic signal for an oncoming traffic lane from a rearward image capturing apparatus for capturing an image rearward of a vehicle, and in a case in which the vehicle is in a waiting state for turning across oncoming traffic at an intersection, to recognize a display state of the traffic signal for the oncoming traffic lane based on an image of the traffic signal for the oncoming traffic lane; a determination unit configured to determine, based on at least the display state of the traffic signal for the oncoming traffic lane that is recognized in the waiting state, whether or not a turning operation across the oncoming traffic lane is possible; and an information presentation unit configured to present information corresponding to the result of the determination to the driver.

A rear view camera assembly includes an actuator that is mounted to a bottom side of a vehicle. The actuator is actuatable into an extended condition or a retracted condition. A camera is coupled to the actuator and the camera has a pair of lenses. Each of the lenses is partially angled toward a respective right side and left side of the vehicle to capture imagery within 180.0 degrees of the rear end of the vehicle. A display is disposed in the vehicle such that the display is visible to the driver. The display displays video footage of the imagery captured by each of the lenses on the camera to facilitate a driver of the vehicle to see objects approaching from either the right side or the left side when the driver is backing the vehicle.

A backup camera system for monitoring an area around a vehicle. In one aspect, the system comprises a camera assembly, a display device and a stand for supporting the display device; the camera assembly comprising: (i) a camera adapted to produce an image signal corresponding to a perceived image, (ii) means for supplying power; (iii) a base having first and second holes that are configured and spaced from one another so as to facilitate attachment to the vehicle using the vehicle's license plate mounting bolts, (iv) a transmitter operably coupled to the camera for wirelessly transmitting the image signal; and the display device comprising: (i) a receiver for receiving the wirelessly transmitted image signal, (ii) means for supplying power, (iii) an image processing unit operably coupled to the receiver for converting the received image signal into a display image that is displayed on the display device, the display image corresponding to the perceived image. The backup camera system can form a retrofit kit.

A vehicle hatch clearance determining system includes a plurality of cameras disposed at the vehicle and a control having a processor for processing image data captured by the cameras. During a parking event, and responsive to processing of captured image data, the system detects objects, gathers information pertaining to detected objects exterior the vehicle and generates an environmental model based at least in part on the gathered information. With the vehicle parked, the system determines location of the vehicle relative to at least one detected object of the environmental model and determines if the model includes an object in a region that would be swept by a hatch of the parked vehicle when the hatch is being opened or closed. Responsive to determination that the object is in the region that would be swept by the hatch, the system stops movement of the hatch to avoid impact with the object.

A vehicular vision system includes a front camera and a rear camera disposed at a vehicle and each viewing exterior of the vehicle. Each of the cameras connects with a control via a respective mono coaxial cable. The respective mono coaxial cables carry control data from the control to the respective cameras and carry image data captured by the respective cameras to the control. The control generates an output provided to a video display device of the vehicle. The video display device includes a video display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicle. During a reversing maneuver of the vehicle, the video display screen displays video images of an area rearward the vehicle derived from image data captured by the rear camera and carried to the control by the respective mono coaxial cable.

A method for determining a trailer characteristic includes disposing a camera at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view rearward, providing a control having an image processor, and hitching a tongue of a trailer to a hitch ball of the vehicle. Location of a portion of the trailer relative to the camera is determined via processing of captured image data. Responsive to the determination of the location of the portion of the trailer relative to the camera, a subregion of the imaging array of the camera is determined that includes the determined portion of the trailer, and processing at the control is enhanced at the determined subregion during processing of subsequent frames of captured image data to determine location of the portion of the trailer relative to the vehicle centerline in the subsequent frames of captured image data.

A vehicular trailer hitching assist system includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle and viewing at least rearward of the vehicle. An electronic control unit (ECU) includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. The ECU, via image processing of image data captured by the camera, detects a trailer rearward of the vehicle and determines a first path of travel for the vehicle to follow to maneuver the vehicle toward the trailer and to align the tow ball of the vehicle with a trailer hitch of the trailer. The ECU generates an output to maneuver the vehicle along the determined first path of travel. Responsive to detection of an object entering the first path of travel, the ECU determines a second path of travel for the vehicle to follow that avoids the detected object entering the determined path of travel.

An image processing method for harmonizing images acquired by a first camera and a second camera connected to a vehicle and arranged in such a way as their fields of view cover a same road space at different times as the vehicle travels along a travel direction is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring by a selected camera, a first image at a first time; selecting a first region of interest bounding a road portion from the first image; sampling the first region of interest; acquiring by the other camera, a second image in such a way that the road portion is included in a second region of interest; sampling the second region of interest; and determining one or more correction parameters for harmonizing images acquired by the first and second cameras, based on a comparison between the image content of the first and second regions of interest.

A system for generating a composite image of an area behind a vehicle includes a controller that receives a first image of a trailer from a vehicle camera and a second image of an area aft of the trailer with a trailer camera. A portion of the area around the vehicle is not within a line of sight of either the vehicle camera or the trailer camera. A third image of an area proximate the vehicle is obtained from a database containing previously obtained images and combines the first image, the second image and the third image into a composite image. A method of generating a composite image is also disclosed.

A vehicular trailering assist system includes a vehicle rear backup camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle and viewing at least rearward of the vehicle. A trailer hitched to the vehicle includes a trailer rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the trailer and viewing at least rearward of the trailer. The control displays at a display device in the vehicle a surround view image using an avatar of the vehicle and an avatar of the trailer. The control stitches images derived from image data captured by the vehicle rear backup camera and images derived from the trailer rear camera to provide a transparent trailer view, and the display device displays transparent trailer view video images. Responsive to the vehicle being shifted into a reverse gear, the display device automatically displays rear backup images derived from image data captured by the trailer rear camera.