Video-based driver assistance-from basic functions to applications

Image sequences recorded with cameras mounted in a moving vehicle provide information about the vehicle's environment which has to be analysed in order to really support the driver in actual traffic situations. One type of information is the lane structure surrounding a vehicle. Therefore, we systematically developed and investigated driver assistance functions which make explicit use of the lane structure represented by lane borders and lane markings. With increasing computing power of standard PCs it was possible to realize more complex driver assistance with general purpose hardware. Investigations with a video-based lane departure warning system and a lane change assistant for highways will be discussed in detail. We integrated our lane keeping assistant in some experimental cars and performed systematic experiments in real traffic situations which enables the experience of video-based driver assistance on a high level-the action of a system. This allows us to assess whether a driver assistance system really understands the actual traffic situation which is the basis for reliable systems accepted by the user.