Flir demos thermal-enhanced connected vehicle

First published at ITS America - June 5, 2019

Flir is demonstrating its thermal- enhanced autonomous and connected test vehicle at the Annual Meeting. The demo allows participants to experience how thermal cameras can enhance the effectiveness of advanced driver-assistance systems and make intersections safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

Michael Deruytter of Flir

Crossing an intersection safely requires a driver’s full attention. However, it’s not always possible to see pedestrians or cyclists sufficiently clearly, due to bad weather, night conditions or an obstructed view. The Flir thermal-enhanced autonomous and connected test vehicle addresses this by providing a complete picture of road surroundings to increase the driver’s awareness.

The demonstration vehicle uses Vehicle to Everything (V2X) communication between the vehicle, infrastructure and the cloud. The Flir TrafiSense2 V2X, a V2X-enabled thermal camera, detects pedestrians, cyclists and cars on the intersection and at typical areas where the field of view of a vehicle is occluded by infrastructure, parked vehicles, or any other obstacles. Based on the information provided by the TrafiSense2 V2X, drivers receive personal safety messages that warn of vulnerable road users (VRUs) near the vehicle. Drivers are offered a 360-degree thermal street view, which allows them to spot VRUs, despite adverse lighting and weather conditions.

Warning signals and heads-up displays appear on the dashboard of the Flir connected vehicle to draw the driver’s attention to a specific crossing or to reduce speed because of an approaching cyclist or pedestrian. Attendees can reserve a spot for this demonstration by visiting the Flir booth.

See a video of the demonstration here: https://youtu.be/Iiop7svwUGY

Booth 648