Assorted News: Omnivision, Audi, AEye, Sense Photonics, ADI

Digitimes expects Omnivision to enjoy the high-resolution CIS boom starting later in 2020 on rising the popularity of high-spec smartphones and other mobile devices. China-based smartphone manufacturers will be aggressively promoting high-spec smartphones at more affordable prices later in 2020, the newspaper's sources tell.

Other than having production-ready 48MP and 64MP products in its portfolio, Omnivision is a part of Shanghai-based Will Semiconductor now. As such, Omnivision is expected to be be among the beneficiaries of China's push to self-sufficiency in semiconductors, Digitimes sources say.

Another Digitimes article says that GM, Ford, Hyundai, and Volkswagen are to roll out robotaxis (with Level 4-5 autonomous driving) with LiDARs in 2020-2022, while Honda, Lexus, BMW, and Volvo are developing Level 3 autonomous vehicles with LiDAR. This indicates LiDAR will become a standard spec for Level 3 and above autonomous vehicles.

Audi is contemplating cancelling its Level 3 vehicles as the regulations governing autonomous vehicles have yet to be adopted or revised in many countries. Japan has allowed Level 3 autonomous cars to run on roads in the country starting April 2020, and the US, China and European Union have not readied their relevant regulations.

BusinessWire: AEye announced that their 4Sight M 1550nm LiDAR combo has established a new standard for sensor reliability. In testing completed at NTS the 4Sight M scan block surpassed automotive qualification for both shock and vibe. The results of the test showed a 4Sight Sensor can sustain a mechanical shock of over 50G, random vibration of over 12Grms (5-2000Hz), and sustained vibration of over 3G.

The size of the mirror in a MEMS largely determines its reliability. Larger mirrors also have larger inertia, generating 10x to 600x more torque from shock and vibration events. In addition, larger mirrors do not allow for fast, quasi-static movement for agile scanning, which is key to intelligent and reliable artificial perception. Learn more here.

The unique system design of AEye’s MEMS allows a mirror that is less than 1mm in size. Other LiDAR systems use 3mm to 25mm mirrors – which equates to 10X – 600X larger surface area.

Forbes publishes an interview with Shauna McIntyre, new CEO at Sense Photonics:

"A phrase she likes to repeat is “hardware is the gateway.” It’s the combination of Sense’s hardware and software that’s challenged the notion of the stereotypical big rotating unit on the top of autonomous vehicles when one thinks about LiDAR- the laser radar sensing system most automakers install on their autonomous vehicles.

Sense’s system, called Flash LiDAR, is solid state and has no moving parts or spinning coffee can-like devices atop a vehicle. The laser emitter and detector are separate, small units that can be embedded into a vehicle’s design. For instance, the emitter can be hidden behind a headlight and the detector behind the windshield."

ADI presents its demo board for Panasonic ToF CCD: