Image quality safety model for the safety of the intended functionality in highly automated agricultural machines

• Developing safe perception systems is challenging due to the inherent limitations of perception sensors. • Image quality safety model enables a fail-safe mechanism to prevent object detection failures. • Image quality safety model estimates the confidence level in the safety of the intended functionality. Achieving safe and reliable environmental perception is crucial for the success of highly automated or even autonomous agricultural machinery. However, developing such a system is challenging due to the inherent limitations of perception sensors. In certain conditions, these sensors may fail to capture accurate data, leading to erroneous perceptions of the environment and potentially compromising safety. Monitoring the functional insufficiencies of the measurement data is crucial for ensuring the safety and reliability of perception systems. This article introduces ISO standards, which provide guidelines for ensuring functional safety in highly automated mobile machines and vehicles. It also proposes an Image Quality Safety Model (IQSM) for monitoring the safety of the intended functionality in perception systems. The IQSM estimates the confidence level with which a camera can safely perform a specific object detection task. If the confidence level falls below a predefined threshold, the IQSM can trigger actions, alert operators, and prevent potential safety hazards. The IQSM exhibits remarkable performance, achieving a validation accuracy of about 90%, demonstrating its ability to effectively distinguish the safety of the intended functionality under a variety of image quality conditions.