Insignia's magic eye

Could this be the ultimate safety device? It’s a bumper mounted camera that can actually read road signs and then warn the driver about hazzards, from changes in speed limits to no overtaking zones.

Vauxhall has just released first details on the innovative, all-seeing eye that’s set to feature on the forthcoming Insignia. Named the “Front Camera System”, the front mounted in-car camera has been developed exclusively by the firms engineers and currently has two modes.

The “Traffic Sign Recognition” function will be able to identify the numbers inside circular signs via contour comparison and when a match is found, the sign is displayed on the instrument panel.

The “Lane Departure Warning” function can read traffic lanes and records a driver’s normal lane-changing behaviour, taking into account steering input and indicator usage. If any deviation is detected, an audible and visual warning is sent from the instrument panel, preventing hazardous situations, such as a driver falling asleep at the wheel.

Full details of the system will be in the next issue of Auto Express... The magic eye will be available as an option on the new Insignia in early 2009, with other Vauxhall models benefiting from the system in future.