Driving on the safe side
Siemens VDO assistance function warns of potential wrong-way driving
Regensburg, July 20, 2007
Siemens VDO is conducting research for a "wrong-way driving warning" system that can protect drivers from dangerous mistakes. Using the synergistic integration of camera-based traffic sign recognition and the navigation system, the new electronic assistant can detect and warn drivers before they drive the wrong way, improperly enter freeways, one-way streets or drive in the opposite direction from traffic.
Year after year, radio stations report nearly 2,000 wrong-way drivers in Germany alone. Since eye-catching traffic signing located at freeway entrances has only limited success in stopping such stray drivers, Siemens VDO Automotive AG is conducting research into a new assistance system that can help reduce these dangerous driving errors. The "wrong-way driving warning" alarm is activated to prevent a serious accident from happening in oncoming traffic. Various warning strategies are possible, including a signal tone, a control lamp in the instrument panel, a warning notice on the head-up display, or tactile warning signals.
The Siemens VDO "wrong-way driving warning" system uses a camera mounted behind the interior rear view mirror aimed at the road ahead. The camera recognizes traffic signs displaying the current speed limit like previously possible, and in future, will also recognize the white bar on the red background of German Sign 267 – "Do Not Enter". The eHorizon, provided by the navigation system, has information regarding the type of road and the direction in which the vehicle is currently moving. The warning system detects when a driver attempts to turn in the wrong direction on freeway approaches, at rest stops, in parking lots, at freeway junctions and on one-way streets. The electronic warning leads the driver back to the correct lane before it is too late.
This innovative assistance system is another component of pro.pilot, the network of driver assistance systems from Siemens VDO with which the vehicle’s surroundings can be detected and analyzed electronically. The automotive supplier, a systems provider in the field of driver assistance, sees this as one of the most important challenges in development in order to make driving even safer and more convenient.
Siemens VDO Automotive AG (Regensburg) is one of the world’s leading automotive electronics and mechatronics suppliers, earning approximately 70 percent of its total annual sales in this segment. As an automotive industry development partner, the company's innovative products and solutions enhance safety, driving comfort, cost-effectiveness and performance, as well as reduce emissions and keep drivers informed and in touch with the world. In the 2006 business year (Sept. 30, 2006), Siemens VDO generated sales of more than EUR 10 billion and achieved results of EUR 669 million based on US-GAAP, which corresponds to an EBIT margin of 6.7 percent.
Reference Number: SV 200707.003 en
