AdaSky, STMicroelectronics enhance visual acuity of cars

Autonomous cars need a whole armada of sensors: lidar, radar and cameras. A cooperation between chip manufacturer STMicroelectronics and the Israeli start-up company AdaSky is now bringing an additional layer of information into the sensor landscape: a thermal imaging camera in the far infrared range helps the car to recognise its environment even in darkness and poor visibility.
AdaSky's FIR thermal imaging camera uses customer-specific semiconductors developed and manufactured in cooperation with STMicroelectronics. The basis is the proprietary 28nm FD-SOI technology from ST. AdaSky's comprehensive sensing technology, known as Viper, is designed to enable autonomous vehicles to see and recognise roads and their surroundings under all conditions.

The complete visibility and perception of the road itself, other vehicles, road infrastructure and any obstacles, especially in difficult light and weather conditions, is a basic prerequisite for the safe operation of the next generation of autonomous vehicles. In order to enable autonomous round-the-clock driving seven days a week, vehicles depend on the fusion of complementary information streams from different sensors. No sensor or camera alone can capture all the information today, and every solution has its problems under certain light or weather conditions. In a fusion solution, vision systems with passive infrared technology, such as those used in AdaSky Viper, can help close existing gaps in order to ensure precise vision and perception in dynamic lighting conditions, in direct sunlight, in the light of oncoming headlights and in harsh weather conditions. Click here to read more ...