New capability unveiled for automatic pedestrian detection system development and certification

A technology collaboration between innovITS Advance and TRL has led to the creation of an advanced form of pedestrian detection target which will help those specifying and developing automotive safety systems based on pedestrian recognition to test and certify their
products in a more flexible, accurate and repeatable manner.

“Pedestrian detection systems are already increasingly being incorporated into new vehicles,” said innovITS Advance Business Development Manager Steven Warner, “but the automotive industry is largely lacking in dummy systems providing a realistic representation of human form and gait to the vehicle’s on-board sensor systems. In working with TRL to develop the new pedestrian detection certification and development capability for users of innovITS Advance, we sought to combine TRL’s strong background in automotive and highway safety with the accurate vehicle positioning technology incorporated within the innovITS Advance site.”

The new TRL-innovITS Advance mobile pedestrian target is based around a robust, free standing dummy that provides a realistic human aspect and moves under remote control with a programmable range of speed and acceleration settings. The dummy emulates the leg motion associated with a normal walking or running gait and can currently be configured for three body sizes: a 50th percentile adult male and adult female, and a 6-year-old child. Each of these body options is fully detachable and designed to minimise vehicle damage should the pedestrian detection system fail to operate, and the unit moves on an extremely low profile base unit which is invisible to vehicle systems. When combined with the unique ground truth positioning system installed at innovITS Advance, the new pedestrian detection target system provides a fast, highly accurate and repeatable testing capability for this important category of automotive safety system.

“TRL has a strong history in the field of vehicle safety and understands the real world accident scenarios that are most relevant to protect against,” said Richard Cuerden, TRL Technical Director, Vehicle Safety. “By collaborating with innovITS Advance we have been able to create a packaged solution that is likely to be highly attractive to those researching and developing pedestrian detection technologies, innovations and products.  This is likely to range from tier-1 organisations and automakers developing and implementing new systems, to highways authorities wishing to validate new innovations in highway design.

Posted in: Accessories,Advance Technology,Automotive Safety System,highway Design,innovITS Advance,International,Pedestrian Detection,Richard Cuerden,Steven Warner,Technical Director,TRL,Vehicle Safety