Skip to main content

UK researchers developing 3D 'black box' technology for vehicles

UK-based Roke Manor Research (Roke) has developed, with the help of funding from Innovate UK, what it says is the world's first viable 3D 'black box' technology for vehicles, using a single dashboard camera.
August 10, 2016 Read time: 1 min

UK-based 496 Roke Manor Research (Roke) has developed, with the help of funding from Innovate UK, what it says is the world's first viable 3D 'black box' technology for vehicles, using a single dashboard camera.

Roke demonstrated how, by using vision processing, the captured data could be used to provide a precise 3D reconstruction following a road incident. Roke believes it is set to offer insurers, drivers and even autonomous vehicle manufacturers, independent evidence of what happened and will not just lead to safer vehicles but also help to build public trust in driverless vehicles.

According to Dr James Revell, consultant engineer at Roke, the technology uses computer vision algorithms to enable the precise position and orientation of any vehicle - car, bike, lorry or autonomous vehicle. This allows for near-perfect 3D reconstruction of any accident to be created even if the vehicle loses complete control.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Sensor detects pothole hazards in real time
    June 15, 2015
    An innovative ‘pothole alert’ research project could potentially save motorists billions of pounds in punctures, vehicle damage and road accidents every year, say researchers. Jaguar Land Rover is researching a new connected car technology that will allow a vehicle to identify the location and severity of potholes, broken drains and manhole covers, and then share this data in real-time via the cloud with other vehicles and with road authorities to help them prioritise repairs.
  • UK ‘to trial driverless trucks’
    March 7, 2016
    According to news reports, UK Chancellor George Osborne is expected to announce funding for driverless truck trials on the M6 motorway when he delivers his budget this month. A stretch of the M6 near Carlisle has reportedly been earmarked for the trials, which could see platoons of up to ten driverless lorries take to the road as the government pushes ahead with next-generation transportation in a bid to reduce congestion and journey times. The trucks would each have a driver in the cab as a safety me
  • Autobahn shows it is on the ball
    March 25, 2022
    Germany has just created a central organisation to oversee the country’s 13,200km of motorways. David Arminas finds out about Autobahn’s role in cooperative ITS - and its part in the Euro 2024 football tournament
  • Conscience versus convenience
    June 8, 2015
    David Crawford looks at new ways forward for public transport. By 2025, nearly 60% of the world’s population will be living in towns and cities, increasing their extent and density, and the journeys that people make within and between them. In response, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) wants to see public transport’s global modal share doubling (PTx2) by the same date. “Success in 2025,” a spokesperson told ITS International, “will save 170 million tonnes of oil equivalent and 550