AEC-Q100 certified, night-time near-infrared image processing without an IR cut filter

ON Semiconductor announced that its popular 2.1 MP (megapixel) CMOS image sensor AR0237 has achieved AEC-Q100 qualification.

As more and more insurance companies offer discounts for installing black boxes in their vehicles, demand for black boxes is growing. Consequently, automakers have begun installing black boxes as standard equipment, and these vehicles are already hitting the market.

The AR0237AT offers Full HD video recording at 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second, as well as still image capture. This imaging sensor, chosen by many automotive dashcam manufacturers, supports automotive semiconductor reliability testing standards and is cost-effective.

With black boxes becoming available as factory-installed options, the automotive industry is demanding solutions that can operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 105°C, while delivering reasonable performance at a reasonable price. The AR0237AT's low-light performance is further enhanced when combined with a DVR processor that supports Clarity+. ON Semiconductor's Clarity+ technology provides the ability to double the light processing capacity by optimizing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of automotive imaging solutions through innovative filtering.

“The AR0237AT delivers the same outstanding performance as our non-automotive qualified imaging sensors, handling both daytime color and night time near-infrared images with exceptional clarity,” said Ross Jatou, vice president and general manager, Automotive Solutions Division, Image Sensor Group at ON Semiconductor. “We achieved this without using an infrared cut filter, and the HDR capability means the sensor can continue to perform well in constantly changing lighting environments. By moving the image processing off the chip and qualifying the device to AEC-Q100, we have successfully developed a solution that provides exceptional performance at a competitive price point while expanding design flexibility.”