Autoliv Launches Second Generation Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection

Autoliv Launches Second Generation Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection

(Stockholm, October 2nd, 2008) - Autoliv Inc. - the global leader in automotive
safety systems - is introducing the second generation Night Vision system.  This
next-generation system includes the world's first advanced pedestrian detection
capability for worldwide application using a single far-infrared sensor.  

One of the challenges of driving at night is seeing pedestrians on the road
ahead. While headlights can provide good illumination, objects at distances
beyond 40 meters are usually not seen by a driver at night. Reduced visibility
puts pedestrians and cyclists at greater risk. Studies have shown that the risk
for fatal pedestrian accidents is almost four times higher at night than during
the day.    

Autoliv's Night Vision system, first introduced on the 2005 BMW 7-Series,
displays a TV-like image of the road scene ahead on the navigation display. This
makes driving at night easier and safer. The system is sensitive to the infrared
(IR) light from warm objects and living beings and can see in total darkness
without any lamps or illumination. As a result, the field of vision is not
dependent on or limited to the beam of the headlights.

The second generation Night Vision system is based on Autoliv's proven
far-infrared technology.  An improved infrared sensor, mounted in the grille of
the new BMW 7-Series, scans the road for pedestrians more than two times further
than the headlight range. Once a pedestrian is detected it is highlighted on the
vehicle's Night Vision display. To provide an extra margin of safety the system
will also analyze the scene content and vehicle dynamics to determine if the
pedestrian is at risk of being hit by the vehicle. An alert is then sent to the
driver with enough time for the driver to react.

As traffic conditions and pedestrian behavior varies around the world, Autoliv
was required to collect a multitude of night vision video sequences from the
United States, China, South Africa, Japan and various countries in Europe. From
these video sequences, more than 50 million “image patches” were used for
training the highly advanced software algorithms that detects pedestrians and
alert the driver of the vehicle. 

The system is designed to cope with varying driving situations, including
country and city driving conditions. For example, when driving at slower speeds
in the city, where higher pedestrian traffic is anticipated, the system monitors
a smaller and shorter corridor of the road ahead to prevent too many warnings
due to higher pedestrian traffic. In the countryside, while driving at higher
speed, the system will monitor a wider and deeper corridor of the road.


Inquiries: 
Stuart Klapper, Business Director, Autoliv Electronics Night Vision +1
805-679-3203
Henrik Kaar, Director Corporate Communications + 46 8 587 20 614


Autoliv Inc., the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems, develops and
manufactures automotive safety systems for all major automotive manufacturers in
the world. Together with its joint ventures, Autoliv has more than 80 facilities
with approximately 43,000 employees in 32 vehicle-producing countries. In
addition, the Company has technical centers in eleven countries around the
world, including 21 test tracks, more than any other automotive safety supplier.
Sales in 2007 amounted to US $6.8 billion. The Company's shares are listed on
the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ALV) and its Swedish Depository Receipts on
the Stockholm Stock Exchange (SSE: ALIV).