Method for Triggering a Driver Assistance Function Upon Detection of a Stop Light by Means of a Camera

A method of triggering a driver assistance function of a vehicle, in which image data of a part of surroundings in front of the vehicle is generated by a camera and supplied to an analyzing unit for analysis, and the driver assistance function is triggered upon detection of a brake light of a further vehicle detected as an object in the image data, said brake light being contained in the image data, further comprising:

• detecting at least one geometric region of the further vehicle in the image data, wherein pixels of said region exhibit a spectral color red and approximately highest brightness values in the image data,
• determining that the geometric region is an illuminated raised brake light of the further vehicle if the geometric region is detected as having at least one of the following positioning features in the image data;
• (a) a first positioning feature wherein the geometric region is positioned at least approximately in a horizontal middle of a horizontal structure of the further vehicle,
• (b) a second positioning feature wherein the geometric region is positioned at or above a predetermined height above a roadway surface detected in the image data, or
• (c) a third positioning feature wherein the geometric region is positioned at or below a predetermined distance below a rear window of the further vehicle detected in the image data, and
• triggering the driver assistance function in response to said determining that the geometric region is the illuminated raised brake light.