Pedestrian deaths by car increased by 19 percent between 2019 and 2022 according to AAAThree-quarters of all pedestrian fatalities occur in the dark. Automotive technology supplier Magna is actively trying to change that, with thermal technology installed on 1.2 million vehicles and counting.
Magna’s thermal sensing product, originally called ‘Night Vision’ and introduced on the 2005 BMW 7 Series, sees the road up to four times further than the typical headlight range. This technology is currently available on 40 different vehicle models from 13 manufacturers such as Bentley, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche and examples from Stellantis (Dodge, Fiat, Ram, Peugeot, Jeep and more) and GM. deaths among cyclists.
This is how it works.
“Eyes” that see the road ahead with thermal detection
A microbolometer, or uncooled thermal sensor, started out as a military technology in the late 1970s. The U.S. government released the technology after the 1991 Gulf War, and the use of thermal imaging was introduced to municipal fire departments to help firefighters see through smoke. Previously, first responders had to rely on the slow process of clearing each room individually via touch and visual cues.
In the security world, thermal cameras are becoming even more popular. Airports use them for perimeter defense, and during the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak, airports used them to take passengers’ temperatures.
The latest generation of Magna technology provides improved road coverage, improved detection capabilities and a sharper view for drivers through fog, smoke (a key factor for those affected by bushfires), snow showers or in complete darkness. Because thermal cameras don’t “see” visible light, this system is unaffected by the headlights of oncoming traffic or glare from the sun, Magna says. As distracted driving becomes an increasing problem, automakers and technology companies like Magna are aggressively pursuing solutions.
“Even during the day, there are instances where smoke or fog can obscure visibility,” says Richard Seoane, Magna’s vice president of thermal operations and business development. “Divers entering smoke may think it is only a short distance only to discover it is a mile long; this was the case two years ago in California, when fog caused a pileup of 90 cars.”
How Magna works
An infrared video camera is mounted in front of the vehicle that detects temperature differences of less than 1/10th of a degree to create a highly detailed thermal image of the road. Using convolutional neural networks, the software creates three-dimensional data for image classification and object recognition tasks.
In turn, the algorithm is trained to classify these objects within the field of view, including pedestrians, buses, motorcycles and more. Seaone says the system predicts the travel vector, which helps the driver in numerous ways. For example, pedestrians do not move quickly, but animals and bicycles do. Knowing this information is available allows the driver assistance programs to adjust and adjust to avoid an accident.
“Our algorithms detect animals, pedestrians and cyclists more than 100 meters away from the vehicle to warn drivers of such dangers,” says Seoane. He explains that the algorithms can run in a car’s dedicated ECU (electronic control module) or be hosted by a manufacturer’s central computer unit.
While human eyes cannot detect the infrared spectrum, thermal detection systems can. By detecting very small temperature differences, the technology can distinguish between a letterbox, a deer or a human. says Magna.
Previous versions of thermal detection systems were too large to fit in a trunk. Today, Magna’s camera is quite small (about the size of a golf ball) and it’s about to get even smaller. The company’s next-generation thermal sensing technology will debut next year and will also include extended visual range up to 360 degrees. This means better all-round visibility, even in the dark, preventing reversing accidents that are especially common among children or small pets. It is also expected to be able to detect information up to three football fields, increasing stop time and potentially saving more lives.