Posture information based pedestrian detection and pedestrian collision prevention apparatus and method

A method for activating a pedestrian detection and collision mitigation system (PDCMS) of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• acquiring, by a front detection sensor, an image in front of the vehicle;
• detecting, by the front detection sensor, presence of a pedestrian, a gaze information of the pedestrian and a distance and a relative speed between the pedestrian and the vehicle;
• detecting, by a vehicle sensor, a speed of the vehicle;
• determining, by a controller, the vehicle is in a PDCMS activation state;
• and
• operating, by the controller, a PDCMS function based on information detected by the front detection sensor and the vehicle sensor when the vehicle is in the PDCMS activation state,
• wherein the PDCMS function includes an operation of an output device to provide a driver a warning of a collision of the pedestrian with the vehicle and an operation of a brake regardless of whether the driver operates the brake, and
• wherein the method further includes
• determining, by the controller, a time of activation of the PDCMS based on the gaze information of the pedestrian
• determining, by the controller, that the vehicle is in the PDCMS activation state if a speed of the pedestrian and the speed of the vehicle are in an area in which the PDCMS function is essentially operated at the time of determining whether the PDCMS function is operated.