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In this paper, we meticulously examine the robustness of computer vision object detection frameworks within the intricate realm of real-world traffic scenarios, with a particular emphasis on challenging adverse weather conditions. Conventional evaluation methods often prove inadequate in addressing the complexities inherent in dynamic traffic environments—an increasingly vital consideration as global advancements in autonomous vehicle technologies persist. Our investigation delves specifically into the nuanced performance of these algorithms amidst adverse weather conditions like fog, rain, snow, sun flare, and more, acknowledging the substantial impact of weather dynamics on their precision. Significantly, we seek to underscore that an object detection framework excelling in clear weather may encounter significant challenges in adverse conditions. Our study incorporates in-depth ablation studies on dual modality architectures, exploring a range of applications including traffic monitoring, vehicle tracking, and object tracking. The ultimate goal is to elevate the safety and efficiency of transportation systems, recognizing the pivotal role of robust computer vision systems in shaping the trajectory of future autonomous and intelligent transportation technologies.
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Towards safer roads: benchmarking object detection models in complex weather scenarios
The performance of object detection models in adverse weather conditions remains a critical challenge for intelligent transportation systems. Since advancements in autonomous driving rely heavily on extensive datasets, which help autonomous driving systems be reliable in complex driving environments, this study provides a comprehensive dataset under diverse weather scenarios like rain, haze, nighttime, or sun flares and systematically evaluates the robustness of state-of-the-art deep learning-based object detection frameworks. Our Adverse Driving Conditions Dataset features eight single weather effects and four challenging mixed weather effects, with a curated collection of 50,000 traffic images for each weather effect. State-of-the-art object detection models are evaluated using standard metrics, including precision, recall, and IoU. Our findings reveal significant performance degradation under adverse conditions compared to clear weather, highlighting common issues such as misclassification and false positives. For example, scenarios like haze combined with rain cause frequent detection failures, highlighting the limitations of current algorithms. Through comprehensive performance analysis, we provide critical insights into model vulnerabilities and propose directions for developing weather-resilient object detection systems. This work contributes to advancing robust computer vision technologies for safer and more reliable transportation in unpredictable real-world environments.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2025234
- PAR ID:
- 10646898
- Publisher / Repository:
- Springer
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Machine Vision and Applications
- Volume:
- 36
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 0932-8092
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00138-025-01709-5
