Collaboration set to improve pedestrian safety in adverse lighting

Approximately 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic accidents and more than half are vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists. Around 75 per cent of these fatalities occur in poor visibility. An AAA study found that current PAEB systems perform inconsistently and have been shown to be inadequate at night, prompting insurers and rating agencies to advocate for rules that would equip passenger vehicles with PAEB systems that work well in the dark.
 
“Protecting pedestrians in poor visibility conditions makes a strong case for thermal imaging, which is well-established for being efficient in the majority of degraded visibility scenarios, as it can detect and identify objects at greater distances and with more accuracy,” said Sebastien Tinnes, global market leader at France headquartered Lynred. “We are delighted to have collaborated with Umicore, a long-time partner, on this exciting project to link together sensors and optics, the two most critical parts of a thermal sensing system, and therefore optimise the capabilities and performance of next-generation PAEB systems.”