Meta-YOLOv8: Meta-Learning-Enhanced YOLOv8 for Precise Traffic Light Color Detection in ADAS

Abstract

The ability to accurately detect traffic light color is critical for the functioning of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), as it directly impacts a vehicle’s safety and operational efficiency. This paper introduces Meta-YOLOv8, an improvement over YOLOv8 based on meta-learning, designed explicitly for traffic light color detection focusing on color recognition. In contrast to conventional models, Meta-YOLOv8 focuses on the illuminated portion of traffic signals, enhancing accuracy and extending the detection range in challenging conditions. Furthermore, this approach reduces the computational load by filtering out irrelevant data. An innovative labeling technique has been implemented to address real-time weather-related detection issues, although other bright objects may occasionally confound it. Our model employs meta-learning principles to mitigate confusion and boost confidence in detections. Leveraging task similarity and prior knowledge enhances detection performance across diverse lighting and weather conditions. Metalearning also reduces the necessity for extensive datasets while maintaining consistent performance and adaptability to novel categories. The optimized feature weighting for precise color differentiation, coupled with reduced latency and computational demands, enables a faster response from the driver and reduces the risk of accidents. This represents a significant advancement for resource-constrained ADAS. A comparative assessment of Meta-YOLOv8 with traditional models, including SSD, Faster R-CNN, and Detection Transformers (DETR), reveals that it outperforms these models, achieving an F1 score, accuracy of 93% and a precision rate of 97%.