This invention relates to the domain of advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous robots. Driver assistance systems are automated technical devices, typically involving sensors such as cameras, laser scanners or infrared sensors, which are mounted to vehicles (cars, motorbikes, planes, boats, trains, . . . ). Their purpose is to monitor the environment of the vehicle thus equipped and assist the driver while driving in real-world traffic environments. “Assisting” thereby can be the control of an actuator of the vehicle (brakes, steering, accelerator, . . . ) or at least the generation of visual or audio signals assisting the driver.
Examples include lane keeping systems, braking assistants and distance monitoring devices, just to name a few. The invention proposes a driver assistance system that focuses on visual processing and is therefore equipped e.g. with a stereo camera as sensor device.