Real-time testing of vision based ADAS sensors—capable of recognising road signs or traffic signals, just got a lot easier thanks to the new Feature Point technology from OxTS.
In response to the growing demands placed on automotive engineers to develop and validate increasingly complex ADAS systems, OxTS have created another industry benchmark with the introduction of Feature Point technology to the RT-Range. The RT-Range is already the most comprehensive and trusted solution used globally for developing advanced driver assistance systems—and the inclusion of this new feature only cements that position. Feature Point technology give users almost limitless freedom when planning realistic test scenarios because a file containing up to 65,000 different Feature Points, representing things like traffic lights or road signs, can be loaded into a hunter device.
As Feature Points enter a pre-defined field of view, the RT-Range ‘activates’ them and they behave like conventional Fixed Points. It works a bit like driving at night—you only see things while they’re caught in the headlights. As points become active the RT-Range provides its usual comprehensive list of real-time information on each one. This includes longitudinal, lateral and resultant range, forward and lateral time to collision of each target as well as the Feature Point ID.
The field of view used to control when Feature Points become active is easy to configure. It’s defined with a minimum and maximum range from the sensor point on the hunter vehicle, an angle offset from the vehicle’s x-axis and half-angle of the arc. When Feature Points leave the field of view the RT-Range simply ignores them unless they re-enter.
In real world terms the new flexibility gives engineers the power to devise test routes incorporating the worst scenarios imaginable—road works, followed by parked cars or other obstructions and even more road works. Because of the sheer number of definable Feature Points, there’s no realistic limit to the length of test route that can be devised either. This means slightly different arrangements of the same scenario can be tested without stopping or reconfiguring the RT-Range, cutting the amount of time required to collect data.
In terms of data analysis, active Feature Points behave just like existing Fixed Points. Viewing data can be done in real-time using a laptop PC and the RT-Range Real-Time Display software, as well as by downloading from the RT-Range for analysis later on. Both active and passive Feature Points show up on the Bird’s Eye View map, within the Real-Time Display, to provide a visual reference of what’s going on around the hunter device.
Having that level of detailed information instantly available is a powerful tool when testing and developing ADAS sensors, and is one of the reasons the RT-Range is so popular with automotive engineers. For more information on how the RT-Range can help you, or to discuss your own specific requirements, please contact OxTS directly or your national OxTS representative.
Watch our YouTube video for a more detailed explanation on the new Feature Points technology!
