A vehicle intrusion detection system (10) for detecting an intrusion condition
of a vehicle (12) having an occupant compartment (14) partially defined
by an outer structure (30) of the vehicle, comprises an actuatable illuminator
(40) mounted in the vehicle and having a limited field of illumination (52)
extending within the vehicle occupant compartment adjacent the vehicle outer structure.
A linear imager (60) mounted in the vehicle (12) has a field of view
(62) that substantially coincides with the field of illumination (52)
of the illuminator (40). A controller (70) compares a first image
taken by the imager (60) when the illuminator (40) is actuated and
a second image taken by the imager when the illuminator is unactuated to help determine
the existence of an intrusion condition of the vehicle.
