Filed under: Gadgets, CES, Safety, BMW
CES 2009 Preview: FLIR helps BMWs detect pedestrians
FLIR, the maker of BMW's night-vision system, will be at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week showing off its PathFindIR thermal imaging camera. The company says its system isn't confused by oncoming headlights, works well in cold weather and can even see through fog, dust and smoke. FLIR also says its camera is based on the same technology used by the military to provide a 36° field-of-view of the road ahead.
We plan to check out the company's claims in the 6 Series they're bringing to CES. Maybe they'll even let us take it out and recreate that urban rumor of 200-mph desert highway sprints with no headlights. No, probably not.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
firstplace 5:41PM (1/04/2009)
Hopefully it is better then the caddy version, that was useless...
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Torrent 5:58PM (1/04/2009)
Here's some free advice: Stay out of my headlights...
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Mobius_1 7:39PM (1/04/2009)
Meow???...
elpepe 6:24PM (1/04/2009)
and...um... how was that useless exactly?
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firstplace 6:39PM (1/04/2009)
Go drive a DTS with it. First the HUD makes the image too small, also its magnified so dont think about glancing back and forth out the windshield because its a big enough magnification to throw you off a bit. Last it was grainy and looks really odd in snow, not that a DTS is the best for that anyway.
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elpepe 6:57PM (1/04/2009)
Sounds like you just tried it for a bit. Maybe you have to simply get used to it, like many other technologies....
tankd0g 8:47PM (1/04/2009)
the system is pretty universally despised, it's common knowledge. They could have spend the money on better headlights at the time.
Michael 7:49PM (1/04/2009)
How long until we have telescreens in our cars?
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redcars 9:41PM (1/04/2009)
That would be cool. No glass whatsoever, just use cameras.
LoneWolf 8:45PM (1/04/2009)
Strange pedestrians :D
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CarbonBlack 9:27PM (1/04/2009)
I wonder how long until the costs go down, and the technology is used in "lesser" vehicles?
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rustyshackleford 11:24PM (1/04/2009)
They showed off this same technology at SEMA, although not in the car itself. It looked extremely promising.
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3seriesisking 12:38AM (1/05/2009)
Promising indeed. From what I understand the technology will be able to recognize and highlight obstacles (pedestrians and animals for example) and alert the driver. Personally, I can't wait for this technology to mature...it should make the road a much safer place for both driver and pedestrian.
Toy Yoda 4:01AM (1/05/2009)
Is there a possibility of using this at night on the highways with lights turned off to avoid cops? Probably something done in Cannonball Run? Cops can't tag you if they can't see you, right?
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David 4:54AM (1/05/2009)
It works really well spotting cops hiding in complete darkness planning to hit you with instant-on radar the last second. Provided you see him first of course. Most of the time they wait until you're right on them, now you can see them first!
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TAM 10:19PM (1/07/2009)
I currently own a 5 series bmw that has this system in it. You can in fact turn of your headlights and drive in the dark, although i was only driving it around the neighborhood at 25 to 35 mph. The only thing that i really wanted to comment on is the statement that it can work threw fog. Just a couple of weeks ago here in north dallas it was very foggy one night i was driving and thought to try it, with my lights on of course, but the whole screen was blurred. Not until I pulled up to someone before I could see the anything on the screen. Otherwise a pretty cool conversation starter.
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