An automotive night vision system uses a

thermographic camera Infrared thermography (IRT), thermal video and/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 ...

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 (electrical component), 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 (language), usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the ...

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 the nameplate used by Cadillac over eight generations, originally used to designate a trim level of the 1949 Cadillac Series 62 and later to designate a standalone model in the brand range. The last model marketed specif ...

. 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 (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...

GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...

Lidar Lidar (, also LIDAR, or LiDAR; sometimes LADAR) is a method for determining ranges (variable distance) by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected light to return to the receiver. It can also be ...

, and

Radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

, among others to sense and detect objects.

Display type

Instrument cluster For business applications, see Dashboard (business). A dashboard (also called dash, instrument panel (IP), or fascia) is a control panel set within the central console of a vehicle or small aircraft. Usually located directly ahead of the drive ...

using a high resolution

liquid-crystal display A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display A flat-panel display (FPD) is an electronic display used to display visual content such as text or images. It is present in consumer, medical, transportation, and industrial equipmen ...

(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 othe ...

or information screen, least expensive and with display's location further away from driver's field of vision (used exclusively by BMW, and the W212 E-class) *

windshield The windshield (North American 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 the elements. Mo ...

via

head-up display A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), 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 pilot being able to view informa ...

, 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 those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from arou ...

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 those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...

wavelength is 0.75–1.4 µm 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) is a region in the infrared spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. Far infrared is often defined as any radiation with a wavelength of 15 micrometers (μm) to 1 mm (corresponding to a range of about 20 THz to ...

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 rear-view mirror (or rearview mirror) is a 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 rear-view mirror is usually affixed to ...

. *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 as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquarter ...

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 S-Class, the successor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220) and the predecessor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222). The S-Class are the flagship vehicles of Mercedes-Benz and each generation typica ...

. 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: * ...

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. It replaced the C215 platform. In 2014 it was replaced by the C217 S-Class Coupe. Initial release (2006–) Like its predecessors, the C216 ...

became the first series production car with night vision-guided

pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...

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 The Mercedes-Benz W222 is the sixth generation of the S-Class produced from 2013 to 2020, the successor of the W221 S-Class and the predecessor of the W223 S-Class. The W222 was designed during 2009. The original design proposal of the car wa ...

Toyota

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

Toyota Landcruiser is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

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 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, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...

and presents them in a box on an LCD display in front of the driver. This was the first pedestrian detection 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. 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 among the 10 largest Japanese ...

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 generated by the thermal motion of particles in matter. Thermal radiation is generated when heat from the movement of charges in the material (electrons and protons in common forms of matter) is ...

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 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 both front- or permanent all-wheel drive—and in s ...

. 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 Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

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 fo ...

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). 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) The fifth generation of the BMW 7 Series consists of the BMW F01 (sedan version) and BMW F02 (long-wheelbase sedan version) full-size luxury sedans. The F01/F02 generation was produced by BMW from 2008 to 2015 and is often collectively referred ...

, which flashes a caution symbol on the navigation/information screen and automotive head-up display 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 Technologies Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world by revenue and market capitaliza ...

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. The CT6 was introduced at the 2015 New York International Auto Show and went on sale in the U.S. in March 2016. It is the first car to adopt ...

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 :''Sections of this article are translated from Japanese Wikipedia''. The Honda Legend is a series of V6-engined executive cars/mid-size luxury sedans produced by Honda since 1985 which currently serves as its flagship vehicle. It is larger tha ...

: Intelligent Night Vision. It detected

far infrared Far infrared (FIR) is a region in the infrared spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. Far infrared is often defined as any radiation with a wavelength of 15 micrometers (μm) to 1 mm (corresponding to a range of about 20 THz to ...

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 Crossback, now known as simply the DS 7, is a compact luxury crossover SUV from the French automaker DS Automobiles. The vehicle was presented for the first time on 28 February 2017, and its public premiere was at the 87th Geneva Motor ...

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, and followed by the 508 SW, an estate version, in 2011. Production of the 508 began in 2010 as an indirect replacement for the 407 and 607, for which no d ...

, 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 (instrument cluster)¹ *2012 Lexus LS (navigation screen)¹ *2012

Lexus GS The is an executive car sold by Lexus, the premium division of Toyota. The same car had been launched in 1991 as the Toyota Aristo in Japan. For non-Japanese markets, it was released as the Lexus GS in February 1993. It continued using the Toyo ...

(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. The C217 model succeeded the C216 CL-Class and is the last version of the S-Class coupé. It is also the first Mer ...

(instrument cluster)¹ *2009

(navigation screen)¹ *2010

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (W218) The C218 Mercedes-Benz CLS is the second generation of the Mercedes CLS-Class range of four-door coupé sedans. The model shares the chassis and most of the technology with the W212 Mercedes E-class and was produced from 2010 to 2018. The body ...

(navigation screen)¹ *2006

(instrument cluster) *2013

Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222) The Mercedes-Benz W222 is the sixth generation of the S-Class produced from 2013 to 2020, the successor of the W221 S-Class and the predecessor of the W223 S-Class. The W222 was designed during 2009. The original design proposal of the car wa ...

(instrument cluster)¹ *2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class#Third generation (W166: 2011–present)¹ *2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (X166)¹ *2012 Mercedes-Benz R231 SL-Class¹ *2008 Toyota Crown Hybrid (instrument cluster)¹ *2002 Toyota Landcruiser Cignus (windshield)

Passive

*2014

(instrument cluster)¹ *2011

Audi A6 C7 The Audi A6 is an executive car made by the German automotive industry, automaker Audi. Now in its fifth generation, the successor to the Audi 100 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany, and is available in saloon and Station wagon, estate configu ...

(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 mid-size luxury 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 the autumn of 2005 at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant in ...

(instrument cluster)¹ *2005

BMW 5 Series The BMW 5 Series is an executive car manufactured and marketed by BMW since 1972, succeeding the New Class Sedans, and currently in its seventh generation. The 5 Series was initially available as a sedan, with a wagon/estate body style (market ...

(navigation screen) *2008

(navigation screen)¹ *2005

BMW 7 Series The BMW 7 Series is a full-size 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 and is on ...

(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 a mid-size luxury SUV manufactured and marketed worldwide by BMW since 2013. The car was unveiled in the 2013 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Early X5 models include xDrive50i, xDrive30d, M50d. BMW xDrive40d, xDrive35i, x ...

(navigation screen)¹ *2014

BMW X6 (F16) The BMW X6 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV by German automaker BMW. The BMW X6 is the originator of the sports activity coupé (SAC), referencing its sloping rear roof design. It combines the attributes of an SUV (high ground clearance, all- ...

(navigation screen)¹ *2009

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo The sixth generation of the BMW 5 Series consists of the BMW F10 (sedan version), BMW F11 (wagon version, marketed as ''Touring'') and BMW F07 (fastback version, marketed as ''Gran Turismo'') executive cars and were produced by BMW from January ...

(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 Peuge ...

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

References

{{Car-interior Advanced driver assistance systems Infrared imaging