Coming soon: System that warns driver of an impending accident

WASHINGTON - Scientists are working to develop a system that can warn a driver of an impending accident.

With just a half second’s notice, a driver can swerve to avoid a fatal accident or slam on the brakes to miss hitting a child running after a ball. However first, the person behind the wheel must perceive the danger.

Now, a new research shows that a rapid alert system can help mitigate the risks, fatalities and severe injuries from road accidents.

Prof. Shai Avidan of Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Engineering is currently collaborating with researchers from General Motors Research Israel to keep cars on the road and people out of hospitals.

Avidan and his team are working to develop advanced algorithms that will help cameras mounted on GM cars detect threats, alerting drivers to make split-second decisions.

The challenge is to develop a system that can recognize people, distinguishing them from other moving objects - and to create a model that can react almost instantaneously, says Avidan.

Ultimately, he is hoping computer vision research will make cars smarter, and roads a lot safer.

Cars are not much different from one another. They all have engines, seats, and steering wheels. But new products are adding another dimension by making cars more intelligent. One such product is the smart camera system by MobilEye, an Israeli startup company.

Avidan was part of the MobilEye technical team that developed a system to detect vehicles and track them in real-time.

He is now extending that research to develop the next generation of smart cameras - cameras that are aware of their surroundings.

His goal is a camera capable of distinguishing pedestrians from other moving objects that can then warn the driver of an impending accident.

The research has been published in leading journals, including the IEEE Transaction on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence. (ANI)