Optionally, the AEB system may be responsive to an output of a rear camera of the vehicle, and may adjust the braking responsive to a determination that another vehicle is following the equipped vehicle. For example, the system may provide a decreasing level of braking if a vehicle is determined to be closely behind the equipped vehicle and may only initiate a maximum braking or high braking if there is no vehicle detected behind the equipped vehicle or if there is a vehicle detected behind the equipped vehicle but a rear end collision is unavoidable and the maximum braking is needed to avoid or reduce or mitigate a collision with a detected object or vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3, the equipped vehicle 210 may adjust the degree of braking responsive to a determined distance (and optionally a determined rate of approach) of a following vehicle (222a, 222b, 222c) behind the equipped vehicle. The determination of whether or not braking is needed may be made responsive to the front camera assessment (such as via image processing of image data captured by the forward viewing camera and determination of a leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle that is approaching the equipped vehicle), and the determined degree of braking may initially be set based on the front camera assessment, whereby that determined degree of braking may be adjusted or reduced based on a determination of the presence and distance and approach of a following vehicle behind the equipped vehicle. For example, and as can be seen in FIG. 2, if a trailing vehicle 222a is following closely behind the equipped vehicle 210 (within a threshold distance), the degree of braking (as determined responsive to the forward facing camera) may be reduced to avoid or mitigate a rear end collision, while if a trailing vehicle 222b is following at a greater distance behind the equipped vehicle (greater than the threshold distance), the degree of braking (as determined responsive to the forward facing camera) may be reduced a lesser amount, and if a trailing vehicle 222c is following at an even greater distance (greater than a larger threshold distance), the AEB system may provide maximum braking or may not reduce the determined rate of braking as determined based on image processing of image data captured by the forward facing camera. The degree of braking that is applied is thus adjusted based on the distance (and rate of approach) to the detected trailing vehicle that is following behind the equipped vehicle (such as in the lane of traffic of the equipped vehicle).

Thus, the automatic braking system for a vehicle includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by front and rear cameras of the equipped vehicle. Responsive at least in part to a determination that the equipped vehicle is approaching an object determined to be present forwardly of the equipped vehicle, the system is operable to apply the vehicle brakes to reduce the likelihood of collision with the determined object. Also, responsive at least in part to a determination that another vehicle is following the equipped vehicle and within at least one of (i) a threshold distance from the equipped vehicle and (ii) a threshold rate of approach to the equipped vehicle, the system is operable to adjust the application of the vehicle brakes to reduce the likelihood of a rear collision by the determined following vehicle.

The braking system may be operable to determine a degree of application of the vehicle brakes to mitigate collision with the determined forward object and the determined following vehicle. The braking system may be operable to apply a maximum degree of braking only when the system determines that there is no vehicle following the equipped vehicle within a threshold distance from the equipped vehicle. Optionally, the braking system may be operable to apply a maximum or high degree of braking even when the system determines that there is a vehicle following the equipped vehicle but also determines that the rate of approach to the leading vehicle requires a high degree of braking to mitigate an imminent collision. The system may consider the rate of approach and distance to the leading vehicle and compare that to the rate of approach and distance to the trailing vehicle in determining the best degree of braking of the subject vehicle to mitigate either or both potential or imminent collisions.

Thus, an AEB system is provided that uses input from a rearward facing camera and adjusts the braking level accordingly. Such a system allows for a lower ASIL for a front camera system. If the system detects that there is no vehicle within some distance behind the AEB vehicle, then the system can brake at a high level (such as, for example, up to about 1 g or thereabouts) without consequences (such as rear end collision) even for situations when the AEB system is triggered by a false positive. In other words, by only max-braking when there is no vehicle following the equipped vehicle, the risk of harming someone is reduced (which may translate to a lower required ASIL). In the fairly low occurrence case that someone is really close behind the equipped vehicle, the system may limit or reduce the applied braking responsive to a rear camera data input. Thus, such a system utilizes vehicle or object detection capability in the rear camera or multi-camera system of the vehicle.

Another positive or benefit of the reduced risk for causing inadvertent rear end collisions (such as when the AEB system, responsive to a front camera output, issues the brake command without regard to what is following behind the equipped vehicle), is that the TTC (Time To Collision) brake trigger settings in the front camera could, optionally, be extended to allow for more false positives, while also insuring that no proper (true positive) braking for a vehicle/pedestrian is ever missed.

Optionally, the system of the present invention may include or utilize additional lane departure warning (LDW) support data from lane markings detected behind the vehicle. Thus, the rear camera may augment the lane marking detection by the forward facing camera and associated processor. The image data captured by the rear facing camera may be processed by the same image processor as the front camera image data or a separate image processor may be used to process image data captured by the rearward facing imager or camera.

The system of the present invention thus uses the camera or cameras already present on the vehicle. For example, the camera or cameras used by the alert and/or braking system may be part of a multi-camera vision system or surround view system or rear backup aid system or forward facing camera system of the vehicle (and may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Such use of cameras already present on the vehicle for other purposes reduces the cost of the recording system, since no dedicated cameras are needed for the recording system when the recording system is added to the vehicle.

Optionally, the vision and/or alert system may utilize other types of forward facing or forward viewing sensors, such as a radar sensor or lidar sensor or the like, either instead of a camera or in conjunction with a camera. Optionally, the alert system may utilize a ladar sensor (a radar type sensor that uses lasers instead of radio frequencies), such as a ladar sensor that comprises a two dimensional (2D) optical phased array. The ladar sensor, instead of using radio waves, uses lasers to scan a given area, and emits optical beams and returns information that is more detailed than radar. A 2D laser phased array developed by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of Va. is around the size of the head of a pin (about 576 μm×576 μm) and all of the required circuitry and/or components, such as 4,096 nanoantennas arranged in a 64×64 fashion, may be incorporated onto a single silicon chip. The ladar chip may provide dynamic beam steering via an 8×8 array.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor. Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes the imaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processing circuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a camera module, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066570, filed Nov. 27, 2012 and published as International Publication No. WO 2013/081984, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012 and published as International Publication No. WO 2013/081985, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects or other vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one or more of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise an EYEQ2 or EYEQ3 image processing chip available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detection software (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, and when an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equipped vehicle.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imaging sensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, such as, for example, a two dimensional array of a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (at least a 640×480 imaging array, such as a megapixel imaging array or the like), with a respective lens focusing images onto respective portions of the array. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array having rows and columns. Preferably, the imaging array has at least 300,000 photosensor elements or pixels, more preferably at least 500,000 photosensor elements or pixels and more preferably at least 1 million photosensor elements or pixels. The imaging array may capture color image data, such as via spectral filtering at the array, such as via an RGB (red, green and blue) filter or via a red/red complement filter or such as via an RCC (red, clear, clear) filter or the like. The logic and control circuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and the image processing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitable means for processing the images and/or image data.

For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/or circuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519; 7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928; 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2011/028686; WO 2010/099416; WO 2012/061567; WO 2012/068331; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO 2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145313; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/145818; WO 2012/145822; WO 2012/158167; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/154919; WO 2013/019707; WO 2013/016409; WO 2013/019795; WO 2013/067083; WO 2013/070539; WO 2013/043661; WO 2013/048994; WO 2013/063014, WO 2013/081984; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/074604; WO 2013/086249; WO 2013/103548; WO 2013/109869; WO 2013/123161; WO 2013/126715; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/158592 and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/107,624, filed Dec. 16, 2013; Ser. No. 14/102,981, filed Dec. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 14/102,980, filed Dec. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 14/098,817, filed Dec. 6, 2013; Ser. No. 14/097,581, filed Dec. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 14/093,981, filed Dec. 2, 2013; Ser. No. 14/093,980, filed Dec. 2, 2013; Ser. No. 14/082,573, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 14/082,574, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 14/082,575, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 14/082,577, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 14/071,086, filed Nov. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 14/076,524, filed Nov. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 14/052,945, filed Oct. 14, 2013; Ser. No. 14/046,174, filed Oct. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 14/016,790, filed Oct. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 14/036,723, filed Sep. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 14/016,790, filed Sep. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 14/001,272, filed Aug. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 13/970,868, filed Aug. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 13/964,134, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 13/942,758, filed Jul. 16, 2013; Ser. No. 13/942,753, filed Jul. 16, 2013; Ser. No. 13/927,680, filed Jun. 26, 2013; Ser. No. 13/916,051, filed Jun. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 13/894,870, filed May 15, 2013; Ser. No. 13/887,724, filed May 6, 2013; Ser. No. 13/852,190, filed Mar. 28, 2013; Ser. No. 13/851,378, filed Mar. 27, 2013; Ser. No. 13/848,796, filed Mar. 22, 2012; Ser. No. 13/847,815, filed Mar. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 13/800,697, filed Mar. 13, 2013; Ser. No. 13/785,099, filed Mar. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 13/779,881, filed Feb. 28, 2013; Ser. No. 13/774,317, filed Feb. 22, 2013; Ser. No. 13/774,315, filed Feb. 22, 2013; Ser. No. 13/681,963, filed Nov. 20, 2012; Ser. No. 13/660,306, filed Oct. 25, 2012; Ser. No. 13/653,577, filed Oct. 17, 2012; and/or Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/919,129, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/919,130, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/919,131, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/919,147, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/919,138, filed Dec. 20, 2013, Ser. No. 61/919,133, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/918,290, filed Dec. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/915,218, filed Dec. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/912,146, filed Dec. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 61/911,666, filed Dec. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/911,665, filed Dec. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/905,461, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/905,462, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/901,127, filed Nov. 7, 2013; Ser. No. 61/895,610, filed Oct. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/895,609, filed Oct. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/893,489, filed Oct. 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/879,837, filed Sep. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/879,835, filed Sep. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/878,877, filed Sep. 17, 2013; Ser. No. 61/875,351, filed Sep. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/869,195, filed. Aug. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,835, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,836, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,837, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,838, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/856,843, filed Jul. 22, 2013, Ser. No. 61/845,061, filed Jul. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,630, filed Jul. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,173, filed Jul. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,171, filed Jul. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/842,644, filed Jul. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/840,542, filed Jun. 28, 2013; Ser. No. 61/838,619, filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No. 61/838,621, filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No. 61/837,955, filed Jun. 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/836,900, filed Jun. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/836,380, filed Jun. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/833,080, filed Jun. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/830,375, filed Jun. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/830,377, filed Jun. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/825,752, filed May 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/825,753, filed May 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/823,648, filed May 15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/823,644, filed May 15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/821,922, filed May 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/819,835, filed May 6, 2013; Ser. No. 61/819,033, filed May 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/816,956, filed Apr. 29, 2013; Ser. No. 61/815,044, filed Apr. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 61/814,533, filed Apr. 22, 2013; Ser. No. 61/813,361, filed Apr. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/810,407, filed Apr. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/808,930, filed Apr. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 61/807,050, filed Apr. 1, 2013; Ser. No. 61/806,674, filed Mar. 29, 2013; Ser. No. 61/793,592, filed Mar. 15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/772,015, filed Mar. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/772,014, filed Mar. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/770,051, filed Feb. 27, 2013; Ser. No. 61/766,883, filed Feb. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/760,364, filed Feb. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/756,832, filed Jan. 25, 2013; and/or Ser. No. 61/754,804, filed Jan. 21, 2013, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system may communicate with other communication systems via any suitable means, such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/144900; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/081985, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/202,005, filed Aug. 17, 2011 and published as U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0062743, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.