Canon launches 'all-seeing' sensor for automotive cameras

Canon is known for its digital cameras, but is also preparing to enter the automotive market. Recently, the company launched a new SPAD sensor, which should become the "eyes" of the car's driver assistance systems. Unlike conventional CMOS sensors, it will be able to "see" the world around it very well, even in the dark of night.

This novelty is based on single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD). The main difference from metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) arrays is that SPAD sensors do not measure the amount of light accumulated over a period of time, but count individual photons and convert them into electrical signals that form an image.

Video surveillance cameras are usually manufactured based on SPAD matrices, but the company decided to apply this technology to automotive systems, as they "see" more clearly in the dark. According to Canon representatives, the sensor is able to recognize pedestrians at a distance of 120 meters, even on a moonless night.

The company began working on the sensor a long time ago, but the first prototypes had high power consumption and slow signal processing. According to the developers, the modern version is four times more energy efficient than the three-year-old sample.

The sensor is scheduled to go into production in 2031, but there are no details yet on plans for it to be used in any specific brand of car.