Method and a device for detecting safety critical objects to a vehicle using Navigation data

The present invention relates to a method and a device for detecting safety critical objects to a vehicle using a navigation device. Safety critical objects are potential obstacles to the vehicle or the traffic environment signs which are critical for driving of the vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with the device and the method of the current invention and is further equipped with a navigation device and an image capturing device. The method of the present invention makes use of navigational data available from the navigation device and an image of the periphery of the vehicle, which is captured from the image capturing device for detecting the safety critical objects to the vehicle. The method of the present invention further estimates visual attention of a driver of the vehicle towards said detected safety critical objects and generates an appropriate warning to the driver depending on the estimated visual attention of the driver.