LG Innotek, developed two new hybrid lenses for high-performance autonomous driving
LG Innotek has developed new types of high-performance hybrid lenses for autonomous driving that have reduced size and thickness while increasing price competitiveness compared to existing products in the market.
Cameras are key components of autonomous driving solutions as they help detect the driver’s movements. The company said it developed new lenses for its driver monitoring system (DMS) and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). What distinguishes them is that the company cross-applied plastic and glass inside the lens, while other lenses use only glass to prevent structural deformation due to alteration in temperature or external force.
In particular, the company is the first in the industry to apply plastic materials to ADAS lenses regarding high resolution(8Mp). The company was able to decrease the size and price of the lenses by using plastic. Given that cameras are increasingly being used inside the car, the new lenses will give carmakers more flexibility in vehicle design, according to the company.
“The high-performance lenses are 20 percent to 30 percent thinner than all-glass products. As they get thinner, they have the advantage of increased freedom in interior and exterior designs,” a company spokesperson said. “The higher level of self-driving, the more sensing the devices will be used. So, it is important to reduce the size of the parts.”
The company said it increased the performance of its new lenses to match all-glass lens thanks to its technology that maintains consistent performance regardless of temperature.
LG Innotek expects the company will command an edge in the In-cabin camera lens market. The camera lenses employed in Autonomous vehicles are mounted in camera modules. They are key components of autonomous driving for driver assistance and driver recognition. In Europe, all vehicles are recommended to be equipped with DMS after 2025.
According to data by Strategy Analytics, the global self-driving camera market is expected to grow by around 17 percent annually to 7.9 trillion won in 2025 ($6 billion), up from 4.2 trillion won in 2021.
“We expect LG Innotek’s high-performance hybrid lens, which has overcome the limitations of plastic with innovative technologies, to create a huge wave in the market,” said LG Innotek CTO Kang Min-seok.
