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NIGHT VISION LOOKS FAR AHEAD
20 November 2005 - Bosch
The active Bosch Night Vision system offers convenience and safety in the dark
All objects still visible at a distance of 150 meters -
normal low beam extends only to 40 meters · Active system with high-contrast image · Directly aids driver in making decisions Night Vision from Bosch makes driving by night more comfortable and
safer. The active infrared Night Vision system with a range of about 150
meters supplies the driver with an accurate image of the situation in
front of the car. The high-resolution, brilliant image on the monitor is
rich in contrast and details; it is very similar to the normal visual
impression received with high beam. This allows the driver to better
follow the course of the road in the dark, get better bearings of the
environment and to see other road users or possible obstacles early on.
Light from headlamps of oncoming vehicles is attenuated in the monitor
image and no longer blinds the driver. All these features of Night Vision
help to relieve the feeling of insecurity which overcomes many drivers
when driving by night. The range of the low beam of a regular halogen
headlamp is, as a rule, a mere 40 meters. Because of the high traffic
density in Europe producing always a lot of oncoming traffic, high beam
can only be used on rare occasions. THE NIGHT VISION SYSTEM PRODUCES A VERY DETAILED IMAGE:
The system consists basically of an infrared video camera attached
between the interior rear-view mirror and the windshield, a display in
the cockpit, the electronic control unit and two infrared headlamps.
Night Vision is an active system on the basis of NIR (near infrared)
technology. Active means: the road is illuminated with infrared light
which cannot be seen by the human eye. Thus Night Vision renders all
objects visible, even those not generating any sensible heat, such as
road posts, road signs, lost cargo or parked cars, even road markings. The Bosch Night Vision has gone into series production as the first NIR
based Night Vision system this year in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It will
be available in other cars as well in the future. The NIR technology used in the Bosch video camera is based on state-of-
the-art CMOS sensors (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). These
semi-conductors produce the above mentioned detailed accuracy and large
range of the field of vision displayed. This is a requisite for the extra
safety provided by Night Vision, because the image seen can be easily
interpreted and thus greatly helps the driver to come quickly to the
right decision. Bosch is working on integrating Night Vision with other driver
assistance systems in the future. The video camera for instance enables
the integration of the Lane Departure Warning and Road Sign Recognition
systems. The Bosch Group is a leading global manufacturer of automotive and
industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology. In fiscal
2004, some 242 000 associates generated sales of 40 billion euros. Set up
in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as ''Workshop for
Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering,'' the Bosch Group today
comprises a manufacturing, sales, and after-sales service network of some
260 subsidiaries and more than 10 000 service centers in over 130
countries. The special ownership structure of the Bosch Group guarantees its
financial independence and entrepreneurial freedom. It makes it possible
for the company to undertake significant up-front investments in the
safeguarding of its future, as well as to do justice to its social
responsibility in a manner reflective of the spirit and will of its
founder. 92 % of the shares of Robert Bosch GmbH are held by the
charitable foundation Robert Bosch Stiftung. The entrepreneurial
ownership functions are carried out by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG. Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch.com.
www.bosch-presse.de
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