Application
Driving Innovation
Discover how optical sensors play a vital role in vehicle safety and automotive comfort.
Innovations in the automotive industry have continued to improve the safety, comfort and convenience of our vehicles. As technology has evolves, advanced computer systems guide us on the highway, monitor our attention levels, prevent collisions and make it easier to park when we arrive at our destination. These onboard computers rely on sensors, including cameras, radar and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings. Features once reserved for high end luxury cars are now integrated into vehicles accessible to almost everyone. Today, autonomously driven cars that were once only imagined in science fiction may soon be a reality.
As a result of these technological advancements, modern vehicles are now equipped with Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) that can enhance safety. Photodiodes, which are sensors that are highly sensitive to light, quickly convert light energy into electrical signals, making them suitable for safety systems in automobiles including:
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): These systems use input from a combination of cameras, radar and optical sensors to detect obstacles, calculate the likelihood of collisions, and automatically apply the brakes to help prevent accidents.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA): These features use optical sensors and cameras to identify lane markings, help prevent drifting and provide gentle steering corrections if unintended changes are detected.
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM): This system detects vehicles traveling your blind spot and triggers warnings to help prevent collisions.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA): Quick warnings are critical if a vehicle approaches quickly from behind parked cars. This system provides an immediate warning of this while your car is in reverse.
Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS): Inside the car, this safety feature uses optical sensors to monitor the driver’s attention level, providing warnings to mitigate dangerous driving.
Optical sensors are also integrated into comfort and convenience features to improve the driving experience. Here, photodiodes work with other sensors to make driving easier with features such as:
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): This system uses LiDAR to maintain a safe following distance between vehicles by adapting our speed to traffic flow.
Traffic Jam Assist (TJA): These systems integrate with adaptive cruise control and lane centering assistance using cameras, radar and other sensors to allow automatic braking and steering with stop-and-go functionality. These systems include sensors to confirm that drivers remain engaged with the automobile.
Rain sensing: Photodiodes detect raindrops on the windshield, automatically activating windshield wipers and controlling their speed.
Ambient light detection: Photodiodes quickly react to changes in ambient light making them ideal for several functions: brightness adjustment of interior lights and displays; automatic high beams that are quickly switched off if optical sensors detect headlights or taillights from other cars on the road; adaptive headlights that adjust the brightness and direction based on ambient light signals.
