Omron Automotive Unveils Electronic Camera to Enhance Driver Vision and Safety

DETROIT, Oct. 21 -- Omron Automotive Electronics, Inc., today unveiled the automotive industry's first high-performance miniature CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) camera to enhance advanced driver assistance systems. The company unveiled the new High Dynamic Range CMOS (HDRC) camera at the Convergence Show at Cobo Center in Detroit.

The new camera technology is in the prototype stage, and is expected to appear on cars and trucks by the latter part of the decade. "Automakers the world over have asked for a vision sensor like this for many years," said Jerry Bricker, vice president and general sales manager at Omron Automotive. "Our HDRC camera provides benefits that vehicle cameras have been unable to offer until now. It provides vision similar to the human eye and provides images necessary to enhance the safety and convenience of those in and out of the vehicle."

The camera uses logarithmic conversion of optical images affected by high and low light levels, such as objects positioned directly in front of blinding sunlight or when entering or exiting tunnels, into clear electrical images that allow an advanced driver assistance system to function throughout a wide range of light levels. The camera detects light levels, over 120 dB, a significant improvement over conventional systems, which makes the system ideal for correcting these difficult viewing conditions. It does not require an f-stop or shutter control and no additional light source is needed. The camera also has superior near-infrared region sensitivity, which means it can irradiate near-infrared light and detect objects that are outside the nighttime headlight range.

Advanced driver assistance systems also allow monitoring of corrected images on either a heads-up-display (HUD) or another vehicle system, depending on the vehicle. Omron is developing other alternatives as well.

In addition to high and low light level applications, the HDRC camera can be installed in other places around the vehicle to provide better overall vision and greater safety. It can be used for front-of-vehicle monitoring to help in crash avoidance. It can be used for back and side monitoring and control for changing lanes, warning of crashes and assisting while parking. The camera also can be used inside the vehicle to monitor activities such as theft detection, drowsiness, additional passengers, airbag deployment, facial recognition, and more.

The CMOS HDRC camera was developed by the Institute for Microelectronics Stuttgart (IMS), a public research organization based in Stuttgart, Germany. Omron has obtained the exclusive selling rights for the automotive market.

"Our HDRC camera opens many opportunities for Omron to continue seeking ways to enhance the safety and convenience of drivers," said Bricker.

Omron Automotive Electronics, headquartered in Novi, Mich., is a division of Omron Corporation in Kyoto, Japan. Omron Automotive designs and manufactures a wide range of advanced electronic control units, including remote keyless entry systems and power window and sliding door anti-pinch controls. Other products include various ergonomic switch assemblies and PCB and plug-in relays. The division has 700 employees in North America with one manufacturing facility in the U.S. and two in Canada. Sales for the 2001 fiscal year exceeded $170 million.

Omron Corporation was founded as a maker of relays for x-ray timers in 1933. In addition to automotive electronic components, the company's major markets include industrial automation, electronic and mechanical components for commercial and industrial uses, healthcare products, ATM machines, card readers and traffic control systems, plus new ventures into intelligent transportation systems, information technology and wireless communications. The corporation has more than 25,000 employees in 30 countries globally. Fiscal year 2001 sales exceeded $4.0 billion.