Safety and clean vehicle monitoring system
Certain embodiments use image-based technologies (e.g., digital cameras, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems, etc.) to monitor a driver-side floor space in a vehicle cabin and warn the driver when a foreign object is blocking or may potentially block a vehicle control (e.g., brake pedal). A foreign object can include a bottle, can, electronic device, keys, books, or the like. In some cases, foreign objects are detected by comparing a current image of the driver-side floor space with a reference image that is known to be free of foreign objects. The difference image can be used to identify any foreign objects in the driver-side floor space, and a corrective action can be taken to address the potential danger. Some corrective actions may include an audio and/or video alert to the driver, or in some cases, the vehicle may autonomously guide the vehicle to a safe location and stop.
1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring a cabin in a vehicle, the method comprising:
accessing, by a processor, image data corresponding to a driver-side floor space in the cabin;
accessing, by the processor, reference image data corresponding to the driver-side floor space in the cabin;
comparing, by the processor, the image data with the reference image data to identify a set of features in the received image data and the reference image data, wherein the set of features includes a driver's footwear located in the driver-side floor space;
determining that the driver's footwear is an inappropriate type of footwear based on characteristics of the footwear including physical dimensions, an amount of contact between a bottom surface of the footwear and a driver control, or an amount of contact between a bottom surface of a driver's foot and the driver's footwear; and
generating an alert when the driver's footwear is determined to be an inappropriate type of footwear.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the image data is received from one of a digital camera or a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:
determining, by the processor, that a foreign object is in the driver-side floor space based on a difference between the image data and reference image data, wherein the reference image data does not include any foreign objects;
wherein the foreign object is not fixed to the vehicle cabin and freely moves around the driver-side floor space.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1
wherein the set of features includes the driver control in the driver-side floor space.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 further comprising:
determining, by the processor, a location of the foreign object in the driver-side floor space; and
performing a corrective action, by the processor, in response to determining that the foreign object is in the driver-side floor space;
wherein the corrective action is based on the location of the foreign object with respect to a location of the driver control.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the corrective action includes an audio or video-based alert when the foreign object is located beyond a threshold distance from the location of the driver control, and
wherein the corrective action includes taking autonomous control of the vehicle when the foreign object is within a threshold distance from the location of the driver control.
7. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:
accessing image data corresponding to a driver-side floor space in the cabin;
accessing reference image data corresponding to the driver-side floor space in the cabin;
comparing the image data with the reference image data to identify a set of features in the received image data and the reference image data, wherein the set of features includes a driver's footwear located in the driver-side floor space,
determining that the driver's footwear is an inappropriate type of footwear based on characteristics of the footwear including physical dimensions, an amount of contact between a bottom surface of the footwear and a driver control, or an amount of contact between a bottom surface of a driver's foot and the driver's footwear; and
generating an alert when the driver's footwear is determined to be an inappropriate type of footwear.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the image data is received from one of a digital camera or a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.
9. The system of claim 7 further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform:
determining that a foreign object is in the driver-side floor space based on a difference between the image data and reference image data, wherein the reference image data does not include any foreign objects; and
wherein the foreign object is not fixed to the vehicle cabin and freely moves around the driver-side floor space.
10. The system of claim 7
wherein the set of features includes the driver control in the driver-side floor space.
11. The system of claim 10 further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:
determining a location of the foreign object in the driver-side floor space; and
performing a corrective action in response to determining that the foreign object is in the driver-side floor space;
wherein the corrective action is based on the location of the foreign object with respect to a location of the driver control.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the corrective action includes an audio or video-based alert when the foreign object is located beyond a threshold distance from the location of the driver control, and
wherein the corrective action includes taking autonomous control of the vehicle when the foreign object is within a threshold distance from the location of the driver control.
13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the foreign object is a bottle or can.
14. A computer-implemented method of monitoring a cabin in a vehicle, the method comprising:
accessing, by a processor, image data corresponding to a driver-side floor space in the cabin;
analyzing, by the processor, the image data;
identifying, in the image data by the processor, a driver's footwear in the driver-side floor space;
determining, by the processor, physical characteristics of the driver's footwear;
determining, by the processor, that the driver's footwear is inappropriate footwear for driving based on the determined physical characteristics of the driver's footwear; and
performing, by the processor, a corrective action in response to determining that driver's footwear is inappropriate footwear for driving.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 where the image data is received from one of a digital camera or a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the determined physical characteristics include at least one of the driver's footwear physical dimensions.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the corrective action includes an audio or video-based alert.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the corrective action includes taking autonomous control of the vehicle.