Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Complete electronic virgin!

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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one option is a pair of cameras and some image processing to locate the matching items in each. The displacement in the image can be used to calculate an angular separation and knowing the distance between the cameras will give you a distance. A GPS will give your motion vector. Comparing the relative position over time with your motion vector will allow you to determine if the other object is stationary. The next task is to predict the future positions of all the objects using their historical motion vectors and then (presumably) look for a conflict.

you may want to supplement this with proximity detection for very close objects that may look very dissimilar to the cameras, or as a method of detecting things in a "no go" zone.

So a basic system would need relatively simple sensors and some very clever (and fast) software.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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a simple system could just use a forward looking radar or sonar.

if you detect something within a certain distance you could apply back pressure on the accelerator increasing as the object gets closer.

If you look at speed and rate of closure you could even decide to brake or at extremis, pretension the seatbelts.

there are cars that do all of these things. A college has one. His car automatically slows to a crawl if he has to drive around a sharp bend where there are walls, barriers etc which appear to be in front of the car. It drives him crazy.
 

HellasTechn

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Have you never had your automobile speed measured with a "radar gun"? Automobile manufacturers are now experimenting with anit-colliision devices based on the same principle.
You are right.

This may be a little off topic but isnt it a bad thing to be pointed by a microwave emitting device from surrounding cars ?
I always hated that idea.
 

davenn

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This may be a little off topic but isnt it a bad thing to be pointed by a microwave emitting device from surrounding cars ?

power levels are extremely low and the beams quite confined
 

davenn

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Automobile manufacturers are now experimenting with anit-colliision devices based on the same principle.

it's well beyond experimentation. is now well established in many newer vehicles. The rental car I got in New Zealand in 2011 had collision avoidance radar
it was tied into the cruise control is quite an interesting experience to drive having the system apply braking as the rear of the vehicle in front is approached
and then apply acceleration when that vehicle pulls way ahead

Dave
 

hevans1944

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it's well beyond experimentation. is now well established in many newer vehicles. ... Dave
When I can purchase an after-market add-on (which is what the OP is proposing) I will believe it is "well beyond experimentation". For now it is just a marketing gimmick with lots of warts that advertising tries to cosmetically cover up. They are prepping us for "driver-less" automobiles with some modicum of safety built in. But, first, let's find out how this works with a human at the controls. As a licensed driver of course. If acceptably low accident rates occur over several million driver-miles of use, then we (the automobile manufacturers) can move on to replacing the driver with a robot.
 

BobK

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A college has one. His car automatically slows to a crawl if he has to drive around a sharp bend where there are walls, barriers etc which appear to be in front of the car. It drives him crazy.
Like I said, way complicated. Apparently, even the car manufacturers who have installed such systems have not solved all the problems yet.


Bob
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Like I said, way complicated. Apparently, even the car manufacturers who have installed such systems have not solved all the problems yet.

Yeah, the reversing camera "curves" the overlay on the rear facing camera as the wheels turn, but the front facing sensors don't even try to do the same thing.

I guess one is electronic ant the other may be more mechanical, but one actually interfaces with the car controls.
 
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