Vision system for vehicle

1. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera having a field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 307,200 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect objects of interest located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect lane markers on the road being driven by the equipped vehicle and located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said vision system, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, automatically recognizes whether the equipped vehicle is being driven on a road of a left hand drive road system or on a road of a right hand drive road system; and

wherein an image plane of said imaging array is at a distance from said lens that establishes a circle of confusion.

2. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera having a field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 307,200 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect objects of interest located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect lane markers on the road being driven by the equipped vehicle and located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said vision system, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, automatically recognizes whether the equipped vehicle is being driven on a road of a left hand drive road system or on a road of a right hand drive road system; and

wherein said control, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, controls, at least in part, a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle.

3. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera having a field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 307,200 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect objects of interest located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect lane markers on the road being driven by the equipped vehicle and located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said vision system, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, automatically recognizes whether the equipped vehicle is being driven on a road of a left hand drive road system or on a road of a right hand drive road system; and

wherein said control, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, controls, at least in part, a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle.

4. The vision system of claim 3 , wherein said vision system dynamically segments captured image data and aligns segments of captured image data according to road topology of the road ahead of the equipped vehicle and in the field of view of said camera.

5. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera having a field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 307,200 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect objects of interest located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect lane markers on the road being driven by the equipped vehicle and located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said vision system, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, automatically recognizes whether the equipped vehicle is being driven on a road of a left hand drive road system or on a road of a right hand drive road system; and

wherein said control, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, controls, at least in part, an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle.

6. The vision system of claim 5 , wherein said objects of interest comprise at least one of headlights of other vehicles and taillights of other vehicles.

7. The vision system of claim 6 , wherein said control adjusts beam light emitted by a vehicle headlamp of the equipped vehicle at least in part responsive to detection of said objects of interest.

8. The vision system of claim 5 , wherein said control receives vehicle data via a communication bus of the equipped vehicle.

9. The vision system of claim 8 , wherein said vehicle data comprises at least one of (i) data indicative of speed of the equipped vehicle and (ii) data indicative of trajectory of the equipped vehicle.

10. The vision system of claim 5 , wherein at least one of (i) said matrix array of rows and columns comprises at least 640 rows, (ii) said matrix array of rows and columns comprises at least 480 columns and (iii) said matrix array of rows and columns comprises at least 640 rows and at least 480 columns.

11. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera having a field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 307,200 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect objects of interest located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect lane markers on the road being driven by the equipped vehicle and located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said vision system, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, automatically recognizes whether the equipped vehicle is being driven on a road of a left hand drive road system or on a road of a right hand drive road system; and

wherein said control, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, controls, at least in part, a pedestrian detection system of the equipped vehicle.

12. The vision system of claim 11 , wherein a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle is automatically configured according to the recognized left or right hand drive road system.

13. The vision system of claim 12 , wherein said driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle comprises an automatic headlamp control system.

14. The vision system of claim 13 , wherein said automatic headlamp control system comprises an automatic high beam control system.

15. The vision system of claim 13 , wherein said automatic headlamp control system comprises an adaptive front lighting system.

16. The vision system of claim 11 , wherein a light beam emitted by a vehicle headlamp of the equipped vehicle is adjustable responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor and to said control receiving vehicle data via a communication bus of the equipped vehicle.

17. The vision system of claim 11 , wherein said camera is accommodated in a housing assembly that detachably attaches to an attachment plate which is attached at an upper central region of the inner surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle and wherein, with the housing assembly attached to the attachment plate, said camera views through a portion of the windshield swept by the vehicle's windshield wiper system.

18. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera having a field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 307,200 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

wherein said matrix array of rows and columns comprises at least 640 rows and at least 480 columns;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect objects of interest located within the field of view of said camera and wherein said objects of interest comprise at least one of headlights of other vehicles and taillights of other vehicles;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera to detect lane markers on the road being driven by the equipped vehicle and located within the field of view of said camera;

wherein said vision system, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, automatically recognizes whether the equipped vehicle is being driven on a road of a left hand drive road system or on a road of a right hand drive road system;

wherein said camera is accommodated in a housing assembly that detachably attaches to an attachment plate which is attached at an upper central region of the inner surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle and wherein, with the housing assembly attached to the attachment plate, said camera views through a portion of the windshield swept by the vehicle's windshield wiper system;

wherein said control receives vehicle data via a communication bus of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said vehicle data comprises at least one of (i) data indicative of speed of the equipped vehicle and (ii) data indicative of trajectory of the equipped vehicle; and

wherein said control, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, controls, at least in part, at least one of (i) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle (ii) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle and (iv) a pedestrian detection system of the equipped vehicle.

19. The vision system of claim 18 , wherein a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle is automatically configured according to the recognized left or right hand drive road system.

20. The vision system of claim 19 , wherein said driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle comprises an automatic headlamp control system.