OmniVision unveils TheiaCel technology and anti-flicker car image sensor to solve the challenge of autonomous driving

     OmniVision officially unveiled its new TheiaCel technology at AutoSens in Brussels, along with its 8-megapixel CMOS image sensor, the OX08D10. This technology can not only improve the dynamic range of the screen, but also actively eliminate the LED stroboscopic phenomenon, which helps to accurately identify traffic lights.

     The new TheiaCel solution provides enhanced resolution and image quality to exterior cameras for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD), improving vehicle safety.

     According to OmniVision Group, the OX08D10 sensor offers industry-leading low-light performance and low power consumption, and is 50% smaller than other comparable external sensors. This is the first image sensor to feature Howe Group's new 2.1 micron TheiaCel™ technology, which utilizes the next generation Lateral overflow Integrating Capacitor (LOFIC) and Howe Group's DCG™ High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology to eliminate LED flickering in a variety of lighting conditions. With TheiaCel, the OX08D10 is able to capture HDR images from up to 200 meters away. This range provides the best balance between SNR1 and dynamic range and is the best choice for outside camera applications.

     Anas Chalak, analyst at Yole Group, said, "LFM, HDR and high resolution have become necessary prerequisites for image sensors in modern cars in order to achieve higher levels of autonomous driving. OmniVision's TheiaCel DCG + LOFIC solution meets these criteria and is in line with the trend to install more external cameras in every car in the coming years. "We expect the market capacity for ADAS cameras to reach around 105 million by 2028, and the overall automotive image sensor market to expand to $3.7 billion."

     We understand that in the automotive market, the flashing of LED traffic lights (PWM stabs) poses a serious challenge for imaging solutions. Previous image sensors were not able to accurately identify illuminated traffic signs and traffic lights, making automatic driving and auxiliary driving systems ineffective. Previous LED flicker suppression (LFM) solutions, while able to meet certain requirements, resulted in degraded image quality, especially at high automotive temperatures.

     OmniVision's new 2.1 micron single-pixel TheiaCel technology delivers efficient LFM without sacrificing image quality. The technology relies on Howe's proprietary HDR technology to capture extremely high contrast scenes for better content and image quality. The Howe Group's TheiaCel DCG + LOFIC solution enables a wider dynamic range than the advanced single-exposure HDR architecture.

     The new OX08D10 image sensor is a qualitative improvement over its predecessor, especially its LFM dynamic range increased to 3.3 times, and the total dynamic range increased to nearly 3 times. In addition, the OX08D10's network security features have been upgraded to comply with the latest MIPI CSE version 2.0 standard, adding functional security to vehicle image sensor data streams. The TheiaCel device uses OmniVision's a-CSP packaging technology to enable the smallest solution.