Inconsistent Dashcam Video Angles Disrupt Pixel-Based Analysis

[Shaadalam9]

Description

We are experiencing an issue where dashcam videos switch between different camera angles. This inconsistency creates problems for downstream analysis, as our current algorithms rely on a fixed perspective and consistent pixel mapping to calculate values accurately (e.g., distances, speeds, object tracking, etc.).

Problem Details

• When the camera angle changes mid-video (or between videos), the pixel coordinates no longer correspond to the same real-world positions.
• This disrupts analysis pipelines that assume a fixed mapping between pixels and real-world locations.
• As a result, any calculations that rely on pixel positions become unreliable or inaccurate.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Collect dashcam video footage with at least one angle switch (e.g., from front-facing to side-facing, or a different front view).
2. Run the analysis pipeline that relies on fixed pixel mapping.
3. Observe inaccurate results or processing errors when the angle changes.

Expected Behavior

• The analysis should either:
  • Handle angle changes gracefully by re-calibrating pixel mappings each time the angle switches, or
  • Process only footage with consistent angles and flag or skip segments where the angle changes.

Proposed Solution(s)

• Detect angle changes in the video and trigger a recalibration step for pixel-to-world mapping.
• Optionally, split videos into segments of consistent angles for independent analysis.
• (Optional) Update the pipeline to handle multi-angle video inputs or warn users about the issue.

Additional Context

• Any pixel-based calculation (distance estimation, object detection/tracking, etc.) is currently affected.
• Angle changes can occur due to manual switching, automatic features, or hardware setup.