For a while now, top premium car manufacturers like BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz have been offering night vision systems in order to help drivers drive more safely in absence of the sun. Starting with the summer of 2013, an upgraded version of BMW's Night Vision system will be introduced on the German company's cars.
This new version will have a specific animal recognition feature with a range well beyond the car's headlights. How does it work? A thermal, infrared camera fitted in the BMW kidney grille will detect heat emitting objects from more than 100 yards (100 meters) away. At the same time, this new system is also capable of distinguishing between a wild animal and a human being depending on the heat levels.
When such an occasion occurs, the BMW Night Vision system triggers the Dynamic Light Spots feature and the animal is flashed in a targeted manner. Furthermore, a symbol is displayed on the instrument cluster and in emergency situations an acoustic warning will be emitted.
The video below explains the whole system and its integration with other on-board features.
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