ON Semiconductor Image Perception Trends for ADAS and Autonomous Driving

Xi Yunxia (Automotive Marketing Director, Intelligent Sensing Division, Greater China, ON Semiconductor)

ON Semiconductor focuses on automotive applications including the electronic functions of new energy vehicles, as well as all applications related to ADAS and autonomous driving. In terms of ADAS and autonomous driving, the company provides a full range of intelligent sensing devices for automobiles, including ultrasonic radars, cameras, 77 GHz millimeter wave radars and lidars.

Cameras play a pivotal role in automotive ADAS. Cameras are currently mainly used in the Chinese automotive industry for rear-view, 360° surround view, and driving recorders. In the near future, forward ADAS systems, cabin monitoring, and electronic rearview mirrors will also be widely used. Currently, there are 1 to 5 cameras in a car. As the process of autonomous driving improves, cars may be equipped with 12 to 15 cameras.

The first generation of rear view and surround view reversing systems mostly use standard definition and simple front-illuminated 1 megapixel image sensors. In the future, most surround view systems will require 3D imaging and be used to implement automatic parking systems. Therefore, cost-effective image sensors with back-illuminated 1 megapixels and high dynamic range (HDR) are required, and very few systems will upgrade to 2 megapixels. The mainstream surround view sensors currently provided by ON Semiconductor include the 1 megapixel AR0143AT, AR0147AT and the 2 megapixel AR0233AT.

From rear-mounted to front-mounted, the dashcam requires the image sensor to be 2 million pixels, 30 frames/second, high dynamic range greater than 96 dB, and have good low-light characteristics. The current market uses the AR0237AT with a high cost-effectiveness. This solution has a cost-competitive advantage and can meet the above requirements. In the future, if higher HDR such as 120 dB and good low-light performance are required, customers can choose AR0239AT. If the system also needs HDR+LED flicker suppression (LFM) function, AR0233AT can be selected.

In the future, ADAS applications will require high dynamic range of 120dB, HDR + LFM architecture, multiple optimized color filter arrays (CFA), automotive functional safety ISO26262, and image sensors that can support network security. ON Semiconductor provides comprehensive solutions for current and future ADAS and is the only supplier of all camera types for automotive ADAS platforms. It is the first image sensor in the world to include network security, with Clarity+ to support the fusion of perception and human vision. A variety of sensors for ADAS applications include AR0132AT, AR0138AT, AR0220AT, AR0231AT, AR0233AT, and AR0820AT.

Electronic rearview mirrors are an emerging application that generally requires image sensors to achieve 60 FPS (frames per second), 120 dB HDR+LFM, and good low-light performance. ON Semiconductor's solution can fully meet these characteristics and adopts super-exposure back-illuminated (BSI) pixel low-light sensitivity, which complies with ISO26262 and Automotive Safety Integrity Level B+ (ASILB+). ON Semiconductor's main image sensor products for electronic rearview mirror applications include AR0147AT and AR0233AT.

In-cabin monitoring is an application with a very high growth rate. In-cabin monitoring includes driver monitoring and passenger monitoring. The camera needs to capture the driver's eye and head movements. Global shutter image sensors are the best way to monitor drivers, which can capture fast movements without ghosting. Passenger monitoring uses RGB-IR image sensors to achieve the effect of seeing clear images both during the day and at night. ON Semiconductor provides a comprehensive product line: from standard definition to 2MP, image sensors have the best infrared (IR) response, can clearly see the driver's eyes under infrared conditions, have the best global shutter efficiency, and the image is controlled in bright environments. In addition, powerful software partners provide application software for ON Semiconductor image sensors. The main global shutter image sensors for driver monitoring include AR0144AT, AR0135AT and AR0234AT. For passenger monitoring, the AR0239AT RGB-IR image sensor is recommended.

Functional safety and cybersecurity are key requirements from ADAS to autonomous driving. In terms of functional safety, ON Semiconductor is a member of the ISO26262 working group and a co-leader of the basic failure rate sub-working group. It has the largest lineup of functional safety patents and fully safe packaged products that comply with SEooC to ensure safety in the entire system. In addition, ON Semiconductor provides the world's first image sensor with cybersecurity, which ensures safety by adding a new function in data security.

As the market leader in automotive camera sensors, the largest automotive vision and ADAS semiconductor manufacturer, ON Semiconductor can provide the best automotive pixel technology, solve the LED flicker problem on the sensor side, manufacture its own color filter array (CFA) and micro lens, provide image processing chips to better cooperate with image sensors, and use leading packaging technology to achieve excellent heat dissipation and reliability. HDR technology solves the imaging challenges of high-contrast scenes, stacking technology saves space, and global shutter technology significantly solves the problem of motion blur. It is the undisputed core supplier in the application fields of automotive regulations and safety, has a very complete quality supervision and control system, and provides products that meet automotive safety certifications and achieve functional safety and network security at the same time.