Camera based "Computer Vision,"  Radar, Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and ultrasonic sensors have been employed to support Advance Driver Assistance Systems in vehicles,  and advance traffic management systems on highways.   All of these sensors are critical  to support the next generation of Autonomous Vehicles as well, such as the Google Self-Driving Car. 

Computer Vision: Vision-based Data Acquisition and Processing Technology and its Potential for the Transportation Sector pdf html 

This paper foresees imaging technology rapidly advancing in applications that require simple object detection, such as vehicle collision avoidance and advanced traffic management systems. The paper speculates that future advances, such as improved object detection algorithms, machine learning and “augmented reality” may influence a number of transportation applications in the automotive, industrial, and infrastructure sectors.

For a companion webinar - Computer Vision and Intelligent Transportation Systems Webinar - Ned Lecky, July 2012 

Radar Technology in Highway Transportation - Opportunities for Cooperative Safety and Mobility - Report coming in 2012

Vehicular radar is the core technology supporting Forward Collision Prevention systems. Radar based Forward Collision Prevention is a early safety "win," as rear-end crashes account a quarter or more of crashes, and account for thousands of fatalities and injuries, millions of minor "fender benders" and perhaps billions of dollars in insurance property damage claims.  

Radar is also an important technology that supports advanced traffic management systems to improve mobility on our nation's highways. In the long term, radar may be used for future advanced Vehicle and Infrastructure cooperative safety concepts, such as vehicle-to-vehicle communications, autonomous vehicle support,  truck platooning and even intersection collision avoidance. 

All of these Technology Scan reports speculate on the future impact of a sensor technology to the transportation sector in general, and specifically to a future Vehicle-to-Vehicle, Vehicle-to-Device, Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2X) core system relying on vehicle Dedicated Short Range Communications, as contemplated in USDOT's Connected Vehicle R&D program.

Contacts for ITS America's Technology Scan

Steven H. Bayless, Senior Director of Telecommunications and Telematics

Adrian Guan, Radha Neelakantan, Sean Murphy, Transportation Program Specialists

This report is part of the Technology Scan and Assessment series. To learn more about USDOT's Connected Vehicle Research, visit USDOT ITS Joint Program Office website and read the Technology Scan and Assessment Fact Sheet.