Through improvements in the quality and reliability of electronic components, driver assistance and safety-related imaging applications are becoming mainstream in today's vehicles. These include camera-enabled systems for lane departure detection and warning, rear view, 360°/surround view, and night vision.
According to leading market research firm Techno Systems Research (TSR), the percentage of integrated vehicle cameras using CMOS sensors is projected to increase from around 70 percent in 2011 to approximately 95 percent by 2014.
OmniVision Technologies (OVT) is the automotive industry’s premier supplier of CMOS imaging solutions for driver assistance and safety systems with over 50 percent market share* and a proven track record of delivering innovative imaging solutions that meet and exceed the unique requirements of the automotive industry.
At the forefront of innovation and industry expertise, OmniVision's rich portfolio of AutoVision solutions provides today's automotive designers with the industry's broadest selection of automotive-grade image sensors, evaluation kits, and development platforms, enabling faster time-to-market and substantially reduced system costs for both display-based and machine vision applications.
Commitment to Quality
When it comes to our AutoVision products, quality is paramount. OmniVision conducts the most rigorous testing procedures on each and every one of its sensors to ensure they meet the automotive industry’s stringent quality, performance and reliability standards. In addition, all OmniVision automotive products are submitted to full AEC-Q100 qualification.
The OVT automotive design team has placed a strong emphasis on package and test engineering. OVT automotive components are designed specifically to ensure reliable operation in harsh environments; resisting extreme temperatures, vibration and humidity.
Proprietary Color High Dynamic Range Technology
OmniVision’s proprietary color high dynamic range (HDR) concept and processing technology enables its automotive sensors to deliver excellent scene reproduction in the most demanding lighting conditions, achieving dynamic range of up to 115 dB in color and black-and-white. Additionally, our HDR sensors employ auto dynamic range control to rapidly adjust to changing lighting and scene conditions, producing a clear, detailed and low-noise color image in any automotive situation. This proprietary approach to generating HDR images also dramatically reduces or eliminates motion ghost artifacts and other unwanted effects, resulting in the industry’s leading quality brand of automotive image sensors.
World's Smallest Automotive Package
OVT now offers its latest automotive sensors in its proprietary AutoVision chip-scale package (aCSP™), placing OVT at the forefront of packaging technology, including the industry's smallest automotive package (5.66 mm x 5.36 mm x 0.64 mm) - up to 50 percent smaller than competing CMOS devices.
Yes, OmniVision is committed to reducing carbon footprint by incorporating green technologies into every aspect of design and manufacturing; in compliance with the European Union (EU) directive that bans lead (Pb) and other specified materials in electrical and electronic equipment. All OmniVision products are available in 100 percent lead-free packaging.
Does the sensor package really matter?
Yes, particularly in automotive applications. Non AEC-Q100 qualified packages can crack and permanently fail as a result of temperature fluctuation and vibrations. OmniVision's AutoVision chip scale package (aCSP™) is a proprietary design that is incredibly rugged and durable. It is also the industry's smallest AEC-Q100 qualified package. As automakers require smaller and smaller cameras, package size is also a key design parameter. Smaller cameras demand the smallest image sensor possible. The AutoVision OV7960 and OV7962 provide the industry's smallest automotive-qualified package available at just 6.67 mm x 7.12 mm x 0.71 mm.
What does AEC-Q100 qualified mean?
AEC is an abbreviated term for Automotive Electronics Council (http://www.aecouncil.com/), a standards committee for electronic components. If a component passes certain tests and criteria, such as electrical functionality and package survivability, it is deemed reliable for the automotive industry.
Are OVT manufacturing partners qualified to serve the automotive industry?
Yes, because the automotive market is a highly specialized and price driven sector. OmniVision has partnered with the world's leading manufacturing partners who are all either TS16949 or QS9000 qualified.
How do OmniVision sensors compare in terms of quality?
OmniVision conducts over 50 different tests on each and every one of its sensors to ensure they meet the highest imaging quality standards. To ensure that the highest performance and reliability standards are met, all OmniVision digital still and digital video camera solutions are AEC-Q100 qualified. The OmniVision digital still and digital video camera design team has placed a strong emphasis on package and test engineering. OmniVision digital still and digital video camera components are designed specifically to ensure reliable operation in harsh environments; resisting extreme temperatures, vibration and humidity.
How do CMOS sensors compare to CCD components?
CMOS-based cameras consume significantly less power, while offering higher levels of integration and a lower overall system bill-of-materials as compared to CCD-based systems. The CMOS production process enables the integration of all camera functions on a single chip, significantly reducing component count, cost and board space. The relative simplicity of OmniVision's CMOS image sensors allows for quick and easy application designs, enabling faster time-to-market for systems manufacturers.
What is built-in overlay functionality?
OVT pioneered the built-in graphic overlay function featured in several of our automotive-grade sensors. This feature allows for both dynamic and static visual aid layers within the image. This is very valuable for reference frames and guidance systems such as back-up camera and parking assistance applications.
Does OVT offer color high dynamic range technology for automotive?
Yes, the OV10620 showcases our proprietary color HDR technology, which functions similarly to the human eye under quickly changing light conditions. The sensor has the ability to switch rapidly to HDR mode under extreme variations of bright and dark conditions within the same scene, and then automatically switch back to non-HDR mode when conditions return to normal. Color HDR functionality delivers important benefits across a multitude of applications including collision detection, lane departure, rain detection, traffic sign recognition, intelligent headlight dimming and guidance systems.
How do AutoVision sensors operate within such a wide temperature range?
All image sensors lose image quality in higher temperatures due to higher dark current. OmniVision applies a proprietary pixel design that we are proud to say provides the best image quality as compared to competing devices.
Do I need external processors with AutoVision image sensors?
AutoVision sensors provide a complete system on a chip (SoC), including image signal processing capabilities; the image therefore comes out of the sensor ready to display. The exception is the OV9715 where for system efficiency issues some of the processing must be managed in a back end processor.
What causes flare around light sources in dark scenes?
The problem has three components. First there is a lens issue known as optical blooming. Internal reflections caused by the surface optical elements cause optical blooming. The reflections basically bounce around inside the lens, which eventually get to the sensor. To minimize this effect we recommend a broad band anti-reflective coating on all optical elements in the camera. The other source of this problem is pixel to pixel cross talk. Basically when one pixel reaches maximum charge it spills over to its neighbors. Our OmniPixel3-HS™ pixel is designed to minimize this effect. In fact you will find that our sensors outperform competing devices in this regard. The third part of the problem is the display. Some displays will clip the data so even close to max value pixels will appear as saturated.
Where do I go for additional information and support?
No solution is complete without customer support. OmniVision customers are assured of rapid local support from dedicated automotive resources located around the globe. Visit our Sales team page to locate personnel in your area or send an e-mail to sales@ovt.com.
Green Packaging! OmniVision is committed to reducing carbon footprint by incorporating green technologies into every aspect of design and manufacturing; in compliance with the European Union (EU) directive that bans lead (Pb) and other specified materials in electrical and electronic equipment, all OmniVision products are available in 100 percent lead-free packaging.Unrivaled Customer Support No solution is complete without customer support. OmniVision customers are assured of rapid local support from dedicated resources located around the globe.
When it comes to our AutoVision products, quality is paramount. OmniVision conducts the most rigorous testing procedures on each and every one of its sensors to ensure they meet the automotive industry’s stringent quality, performance and reliability standards. In addition, all OmniVision automotive products are submitted to full AEC-Q100 qualification. 
Are OmniVision products environmentally friendly?
OmniVision is committed to reducing carbon footprint by incorporating green technologies into every aspect of design and manufacturing; in compliance with the European Union (EU) directive that bans lead (Pb) and other specified materials in electrical and electronic equipment, all OmniVision products are available in 100 percent lead-free packaging.Unrivaled Customer Support
No solution is complete without customer support. OmniVision customers are assured of rapid local support from dedicated resources located around the globe.