Patent ID: 7646890

Claim:
An image processor for an automotive vehicle comprising: an imaging element for capturing an image of a road, on which the automotive vehicle is located; a traffic lane line detection element for detecting a position of a traffic lane line on the road by determining an edge of the traffic lane line on the basis of the image of the road; a distance distribution calculation element for calculating a distance distribution of an edge intensity of the traffic lane line, the distance distribution corresponding to a distance to the traffic lane line from the imaging element; and a detection reliability calculation element for calculating a degree of reliability of detection of the traffic lane line on the basis of the distance distribution of the edge intensity of the traffic lane; wherein the detection reliability calculation element includes a detectable edge distance calculation element for calculating a detectable edge distance to the traffic lane line from the imaging element; the detectable edge distance is defined as a distance, at which the edge intensity in the distance distribution shows a certain change; the detection reliability calculation element determines the degree of reliability of detection of the traffic lane line on the basis of a length of the detectable edge distance; the detectable edge distance calculation element determines the detectable edge distance, at which the edge intensity is equal to or smaller than a threshold edge intensity; and the threshold edge intensity is determined on the basis of a maximum edge intensity in the distance distribution of the edge intensity.