STRATEGY ANALYTICS: Traffic Sign Recognition Offers Additional Driver Safety

BOSTON--The Strategy Analytics Insight, “Windshield Cameras Offer Potential Growth For Traffic Sign Recognition Systems,” reports on how the growth in front windshield cameras, used in Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS), will support the development of Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) systems.

While challenges exist in the practical deployment of TSR, such as international cross-border driving, Strategy Analytics predicts that TSR may become as popular as LDWS by 2020. For example, sign recognition can prevent the driver from exceeding the speed limit and may also prevent driving in the wrong direction on highways, which has been a cause of fatal, head-on collisions.

This year saw the first deployment of TSR on the new BMW 7-Series sedan, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and the Opel (GM Europe) Insignia. By using the same image sensor currently deployed for lane departure warnings, TSR enables OEMs to offer an additional safety feature at comparatively little extra cost. Yet, despite advances in software algorithms, challenges still remain because of different languages, signage conventions and measuring systems operating in different auto markets.

“While such challenges exist, they are not insurmountable,” according to the author of this Insight, Kevin Mak, Industry Analyst of the Strategy Analytics Automotive Electronics Service. “TSR has the potential to grow on the back of LDWS, with the possibility of imposed mandates as a result of current safety research programs, such as eSafety, led by the European Commission.”