CMOS imaging for automotive applications

This contribution is devoted to CMOS imaging for automotive applications. It is shown that unlike CCD-based imaging, imaging based on CMOS-sensing meets adequately requirements posed by automotive vision applications. In addition, besides classical vision, CMOS imaging enables new applications like, e.g., occupancy sensing, rangefinding, and 3-D vision.

I. Introduction

Numerous automotive applications require image acquisition and processing [1]. Thus, many situations, e.g., highway lane recognition, cruise control, collision avoidance, obstacle and traffic sign recognition, and parking control, require careful visual attention by the driver. While it is conceivable to assist the driver by providing image systems consisting of imagers, image processing hardware, and displays, such systems fail in practice since commercially available CCD imagers do not meet adequately automotive requirements. Hence, imagers fulfilling such requirements are urgently needed.