FLIR Showcases Next Generation, All-Weather Thermal Camera on Self Driving Cars
FLIR today announced the next-generation thermal vision Automotive Development Kit (ADK™) for the development of self-driving cars. FLIR also unveiled a thermal-enhanced self-driving test vehicle that demonstrates how thermal cameras improve the safety of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and fills performance gaps in the autonomous vehicles (AV) of tomorrow with systems including thermal-enhanced automatic emergency braking (AEB).
The new thermal-vision ADK features the 640x512-resolution FLIR Boson®. When paired with machine-learning algorithms for object classification, it provides critical data to improve the decision making of AVs. It’s especially enabling in common environments where other sensors experience challenges, such as darkness, shadows, sun glare, fog, smoke, or haze. The ADK augments the entire sensor suite and offers the redundancy needed to improve vehicle safety.
The new ADK is rugged, IP67-rated and now includes an integrated heated window for all-weather testing. It also features Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL), FPD-Link, USB, and Ethernet connection for easier integration.
The FLIR autonomous test vehicle is the industry’s first thermal-camera-equipped commercial test vehicle featuring multiple FLIR ADK cameras providing a 360-degree street view, highlighting the strength of thermal cameras in urban environments. The car demonstrates the ADK’s integration and complimentary capabilities with existing radar, LIDAR, and visible cameras. With thermal camera-enabled AEB, the car helps validate how thermal imaging functionality improves the safety of assisted and self-driving cars.
Autonomous vehicle developers interested in more information on the FLIR ADK or the thermal-enhanced test vehicle may visit FLIR.com/ADAS.