Audi’s All-Seeing Diode to Benefit Future Drivers

Venturing into the third dimension at the 9th International Forum on "Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications" in Berlin, Audi Electronics Venture GmbH is presenting a pioneering innovation in the form of an anticipatory, optical proximity sensor system. This ultra-sensitive sensory system, which is being showcased in Berlin in a test vehicle, is capable of supplying a three-dimensional image of the scene in front of the vehicle. It offers a glimpse of things to come and although is still several years away from being ready for series production, it opens up an exciting realm of possibilities in the field of both vehicle safety and driver assist and convenience functions, such as stop-and-go assist and parking aid systems.

The detector's field of vision has a horizontal sweep of 32 degrees and a vertical sweep of 8 degrees. The reading rate frequency is 200 hertz, meaning that a 3D image of the scene ahead is formed 200 times a second. This allows even fast events to be tracked accurately.

The system also has the potential to enhance pedestrian protection. Its three-dimensional perception capability allows the system to distinguish between people and vehicles and to initiate an emergency stop if the driver fails to react when a pedestrian steps into the road.