Summary |
With the global proliferation of autonomous driving
technology, the advancement of sensor technology is essential to
ensure its safety. In particular, sensor fusion plays a crucial role
in autonomous driving systems. However, equipping vehicles with
multiple sensors leads to increased costs, making it necessary to
have a single sensor that can perform multiple roles.
This study focuses on event cameras, exploring their potential
among various sensor technologies. Event cameras possess
characteristics such as high dynamic range, low latency, and
high temporal resolution, and they can also leverage visible
light communication. This enables high visibility in low-light
and backlit environments, as well as excellent performance in
detecting pedestrian movements and acquiring traffic information
between traffic lights and vehicles. These characteristics are particularly
beneficial for autonomous driving systems. Additionally,
if distance estimation functionality can be provided by the event
camera, it allows a single sensor to perform multiple roles,
offering significant advantages in terms of cost efficiency.
In this study, we achieved distance estimation based on triangulation
using an event camera and two points on an LED bar
installed along a road. Furthermore, by employing the phase-only
correlation method, we achieved sub-pixel precision in estimating
the distance between two points on the LED bar, enabling even
more accurate distance estimation. This approach performed
monocular distance estimation in outdoor driving environments
at distances ranging from 20 to 60 meters, achieving a success
rate of over 90 % with errors of less than 0.5 meters.
We are considering implementing position estimation in the
future, with the current distance estimation technology forming
the foundation for this. By achieving high-precision distance
estimation, the vehicle’s position relative to surrounding ITS
smart poles can be accurately determined, enabling more precise
position estimation. This will allow autonomous vehicles to know
their exact position in real-time and select the optimal driving
route based on surrounding traffic conditions and road conditions.
Ultimately, we believe that this technology can contribute
to the development of a smart transportation system in the city.
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