Recognition Method for Speed Limit Signs and its Applicability in Recognition of Vehicle Entry Prohibition Signs at Night.

Recently, cameras with sensing technology have been used in vehicles to prevent traffic accidents. Although vehicle drivers can visually notice road signs, a recent study developed a recognition system for road signs to prevent traffic accidents. However, this system does not always perform the intended operation and encounters issues if the vehicle is driven at night, the road environment is bad, or the sign is discolored due to aging. Furthermore, the death rate due to speed violations at night is higher compared with that due to other traffic violations. The drivers and existing systems may have difficulties recognizing these signs as they are susceptible to other lights on the roads, such as traffic lights, streetlights, and vehicle headlights at night. Therefore, we propose a recognition method for speed limit signs that are difficult for drivers to recognize at night. In addition, the proposed method is applied to recognize vehicle entry prohibition signs at night. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]