LG Innotek has taken a significant step towards dominating the autonomous driving camera market by developing a “high-performance heating camera module” suitable for harsh winter conditions.
On Feb. 20, LG Innotek announced the development of a high-performance heating camera module for autonomous driving, employing state-of-the-art precision optical design technology. The strategy is to secure a leading position in the autonomous driving camera module market.
The heating camera is a product that incorporates a heater into existing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) cameras. It prevents frost or snow from accumulating on the vehicle camera lens, avoiding major accidents caused by obstacle detection errors.
The high-performance heating camera module developed by LG Innotek consumes less power (up to 4W) while doubling the lens defrosting time compared to existing products. In experiments conducted in extreme cold environments of minus 18 degrees Celsius, it took only 4 minutes for the frozen lens resolution to return to normal room temperature levels, whereas previous products took an average of 8 minutes.
This efficiency is due to the use of high-efficiency positive temperature coefficient (PTC) materials. When the temperature rises above a certain level, the current is automatically reduced to maintain the optimal temperature, and direct heating of the lens does not cause performance degradation due to overheating. Particularly, the lens and heater are combined into a single module to increase design flexibility and enhance customer convenience.
This product was first unveiled at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the U.S. in January, where it attracted significant attention. LG Innotek is actively promoting to global customers, aiming for mass production by 2027.
Moon Hyuk-soo, CEO of LG Innotek, stated, “We will continue to strengthen our autonomous driving sensing solutions business, including vehicle camera modules, LiDAR, and radar, based on our unparalleled camera module technology. We aim to accelerate our entry into the future mobility component market.”