As the South Korean electronic major Samsung Electronic seeks to shift its presence beyond smartphones and consumer electronics, it unveiled a new automotive image sensor --- the ISOCELL Auto 4AC --- that will be used for rear-view cameras and surround-view monitors of a vehicle and offer HD resolution images.
Samsung’s latest image sensor comes in an optical format of 1/3.7-inch with 1.2 million 3.0-micrometer pixels.
The new sensor is Samsung’s first imaging solution optimized for automotive applications.
Samsung has plans to expand its automotive sensor lineup to areas such as camera monitor systems (CMS), autonomous driving and in-cabin monitoring.
- Samsung announces new high-end 108MP mobile image sensor -- ISOCELL HM3
- Samsung unveils ISOCELL GN2, a new 50MP sensor for high-end smartphones
Smoother transitions between dark and brighter areas
“The new ISOCELL Auto 4AC combines Samsung’s innovative and market-proven image sensor technologies with a unique CornerPixel solution for advanced HDR and LFM capabilities, offering exceptional viewing experiences regardless of lighting conditions,” Duckhyun Chang, executive vice president of sensor business at Samsung Electronics was quoted as saying in a company statement.
The ISOCELL Auto 4AC offers an enhanced field of view for the driver due to the CornerPixel technology, which features a specialized pixel structure that mitigates LED light over 90-hertz (Hz).
Within a single pixel area, it embeds two photodiodes, one 3.0-micrometer pixel for low light images and a 1.0-micrometer pixel for a brighter environment.
The new image sensor features LED flicker mitigation solutions to deliver more accurate images.
"With two photodiodes capturing images in different exposures simultaneously, the sensor offers up to 120dB HDR with minimal motion blur, allowing smoother transitions between dark and bright areas while preserving more details of the road ahead," Samsung said.
It also offers advanced 120-decibel high dynamic range with minimal motion blur, which will enable smoother transitions between dark and brighter areas. In essence, night driving in varied light surroundings would be easier with Samsung's new automotive image sensor.
The ISOCELL Auto 4AC is said to meet stringent AEC-Q100 Grade 2 qualifications, including a -40°C to 125°C operating temperature range, and is currently in mass production, the company said.
