Recently, a large emphasis has been devoted to Automatic Vehicle Guidance since the automation of driving tasks carries a large number of benefits, such as the optimization of the use of transport infrastructures, the improvement of mobility, the minimization of risks, travel time, and energy consumption. This paper surveys the most common approaches to the challenging task of Autonomous Road Following reviewing the most promising experimental solutions and prototypes developed worldwide using AI techniques to perceive the environmental situation by means of artificial vision. The most interesting results and trends in this field as well as the perspectives on the evolution of intelligent vehicles in the next decades are also sketched out.

Abstract—Developing on-board automotive driver assistance systems aiming to alert drivers about driving environments, and possible collision with other vehicles has attracted a lot of attention lately. In these systems, robust and reliable vehicle detection is a critical step. This paper presents a review of recent vision-based on-road vehicle detection systems. Our focus is on systems where the camera is mounted on the vehicle rather than being fixed such as in traffic/driveway monitoring systems. First, we discuss the problem of on-road vehicle detection using optical sensors followed by a brief review of intelligent vehicle research worldwide. Then, we discuss active and passive sensors to set the stage for vision-based vehicle detection. Methods aiming to quickly hypothesize the location of vehicles in an image as well as to verify the hypothesized locations are reviewed next. Integrating detection with tracking is also reviewed to illustrate the benefits of exploiting temporal continuity for vehicle detection. Finally, we present a critical overview of the methods discussed, we assess their potential for future deployment, and we present directions for future research. Index Terms—Vehicle detection, computer vision, intelligent vehicles. 1

Video sensors become particularly important in traffic applications mainly due to their fast response, easy installation, operation and maintenance, and their ability to monitor wide areas. Research in several fields of traffic applications has resulted in a wealth of video processing and analysis methods. Two of the most demanding and widely studied applications relate to traffic monitoring and automatic vehicle guidance. In general, systems developed for these areas must integrate, amongst their other tasks, the analysis of their static environment (automatic lane finding) and the detection of static or moving obstacles (object detection) within their space of interest. In this paper we present an overview of image processing and analysis tools used in these applications and we relate these tools with complete systems developed for specific traffic applications. More specifically, we categorize processing methods based on the intrinsic organization of their input data (feature-driven, area-driven, or model-based) and the domain of processing (spatial/frame or temporal/video). Furthermore, we discriminate between the cases of static and mobile camera. Based on this categorization of processing tools, we present representative systems that have been deployed for operation. Thus, the purpose of the paper is threefold. First, to classify image-processing methods used in traffic applications. Second, to provide the advantages and disadvantages of these algorithms. Third, from this integrated consideration, to attempt an evaluation of shortcomings and general needs in this field of active research.

Abstract—This paper presents investigations into the role of computer-vision technology in developing safer automobiles. We consider vision systems, which cannot only look out of the vehicle to detect and track roads and avoid hitting obstacles or pedestrians but simultaneously look inside the vehicle to monitor the attentiveness of the driver and even predict her intentions. In this paper, a systems-oriented framework for developing computervision technology for safer automobiles is presented. We will consider three main components of the system: environment, vehicle, and driver. We will discuss various issues and ideas for developing models for these main components as well as activities associated with the complex task of safe driving. This paper includes a discussion of novel sensory systems and algorithms for capturing not only the dynamic surround information of the vehicle but also the state, intent, and activity patterns of drivers. Index Terms—Active safety, driver-support systems, intelligent vehicles, real-time machine-vision systems. I.

This paper discusses an extension to the Inverse Perspective Mapping geometrical transform to the processing of stereo images and presents the calibration method used on the ARGO autonomous vehicle. The article features also an example of application in the automotive field, in which the stereo Inverse Perspective Mapping helps to speed up the process. 1 Introduction The processing of images is generally performed at different levels, the lowest of which is characterized by the preservation of the data structure after the processing. Different techniques have been introduced for low-level image processing and can be classified in three main categories: Pointwise operations, Cellular Automaton operations, and Global operations [1]. In particular Global operations are transforms between different domains; their application simplifies the detection of image features which, conversely, would require a more complex computation in the original domain. They are not based on a one-to-one map...

This paper deals with object recognition in outdoor environments. In this type of environments, lighting conditions cannot be controlled and predicted, objects can be partially occluded, and their position and orientation is not known a priori. The chosen type of objects is traffic or road signs, due to their usefulness for sign maintenance, inventory in highways and cities, Driver Support Systems and Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles. A genetic algorithm is used for the detection step, allowing an invariance localisation to changes in position, scale, rotation, weather conditions, partial occlusion, and the presence of other objects of the same colour. A neural network achieves the classification. The global system not only recognises the traffic sign but also provides information about its condition or state.

This paper presents the methods for sensing vehicles (localization and tracking) implemented on the ARGO vehicle. The perception of the environment is performed through the sole processing of images acquired from a stereo vision system installed on board of the vehicle.

This paper presents the methods for sensing obstacles and vehicles implemented on the University of Parma experimental vehicle (ARGO). The ARGO project is briefly described along with its main objectives; the prototype vehicle and its functionalities are presented. The perception of the environment is performed through the processing of images acquired from the vehicle. Details about the stereo vision-based detection of generic obstacles are given, along with a measurement of the performance of the method; then a new approach for leading vehicles detection is described, relying on symmetry detection in monocular images. This paper is concluded with a description of the current implementation of the control system, based on a gain scheduled controller, which allows the vehicle to follow the road or other vehicles.

As one of the most promising applications of computer vision, vision-based vehicle detection for driver assistance has received considerable attention over the last 15 years. There are at least three reasons for the blooming research in this field: first, the startling losses both in human lives and finance caused by vehicle accidents; second, the availability of feasible technologies accumulated within the last 30 years of computer vision research; and third, the exponential growth of processor speed has paved the way for running computation-intensive video-processing algorithms even on a low-end PC in realtime. This paper provides a critical survey of recent vision-based on-road vehicle detection systems appeared in the literature (i.e., the cameras are mounted on the vehicle rather than being static such as in traffic/driveway monitoring systems).

Omni-directional cameras which give 360 degree panoramic view of the surroundings have recently been used in many applications such as robotics, navigation and surveillance. This paper describes the application of parametric ego-motion estimation for vehicle detection to perform surround analysis using an automobile mounted camera. For this purpose, the parametric planar motion model is integrated with the transformations to compensate distortion in omni-directional images. The framework is used to detect objects with independent motion or height above the road. Camera calibration as well as the approximate vehicle speed obtained from CAN bus are integrated with the motion information from spatial and temporal gradients using Bayesian approach. The approach is tested for various configurations of automobile mounted omni camera as well as rectilinear camera. Successful detection and tracking of moving vehicles, and generation of surround map is demonstrated for application to intelligent driver support. Key words Motion estimation, Panoramic vision, Intelligent vehicles, Driver support systems, Collision avoidance 1