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Technology
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2006-10-12 11:44:12-04
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Intelligent transport systems in vehicles
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London, Oct 12: Your car in the future could be expected to do at least some of the things that a James Bond or a Knight Rider car have done in the movies. Thanks to the various intelligent transport systems in vehicles being developed by various manufacturers, cars in the future would be capable of following the flow of traffic, parking themselves and even warning drowsy or distracted drivers to pay attention to the road. A prototype system developed by German company Ibeo enables a car to automatically follow the vehicle ahead. An infrared laser scanner fitted in the car's bumper measures the distance to the next vehicle and a computer maintains a safe distance, stopping and starting if it becomes stuck in traffic. The scanner can track stationary and moving objects from up to 200 metres away at speeds of up to 180 kilometres (112 miles) per hour. "It gives a very precise image of what's going on. Our software can distinguish cars and pedestrians from the distinctive shapes the scanner detects," New Scientist quoted Max Mandt-Merck of Ibeo as saying. The Scanner can further warn a when he strays out of his lane or tries to overtake another which is too close. It could even activate airbags 0.3 seconds before an impact, which might be a life saver for the passengers. Another system that is being developed is aimed at preventing accidents altogether by alerting drivers when they become distracted. It sounds of an audible alarm and vibrates the driver's seat when their head turns away from the road ahead. "There's an infrared camera just behind the steering wheel. It detects the face turning by tracking its bilateral symmetry," explains Kato Kazuya, from Japanese automotive company Aisin. " Japanese company DENSO Corporation have developed an infrared camera that determines whether a driver is becoming drowsy. It recognises the shape of the driver's eyes and tracks the height of that shape to watch if they close. If a driver shuts his eyes for more than a few seconds their seat vibrates and a cold draught hits their neck. Automobile major Toyota has developed an intelligent parking system, which prompts a driver to identify their chosen parking spot, which is identified using ultrasonic sensors. Once the space has been selected, the wheel turns automatically and the driver needs only to limit the car's speed using the brake pedal. When reversing into a parking bay, a camera at rear of the car is used to recognise white lines on the tarmac. "Future developments will probably see a system that lets you get out and leave the car to park itself," says a Toyota spokesman. The intelligent parking system has been available on some Toyota models in Japan since November 2005 and will be available in Europe and the US from January 2007.
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