Optics and Lens Technology for Automotive and IoT

In conventional systems referred to as ADAS, which correspond to autonomous driving levels 1 to 2, systems were built using standalone sensors such as millimeter-wave radar, monocular cameras, and stereo cameras as external sensors. However, in Honda's autonomous driving level 3, which became the world's first mass-produced model, the system began to be constructed using sensor fusion that incorporates multiple LiDAR units in addition to millimeter-wave radar and monocular cameras. This shift was necessary because, while accidents at level 2 were the driver's responsibility and could tolerate insufficient sensor performance, accidents at level 3 and above are the manufacturer's responsibility, necessitating a significant improvement in performance through the fusion of various sensors. Thus, sensor fusion that incorporates LiDAR as a complement to conventional sensor performance is gaining attention, and LiDAR is included in Lexus's autonomous driving system and Nissan's new technology announcements. In this course, we will introduce the characteristics of conventional ADAS sensors from various companies and the latest autonomous driving sensor situations announced for levels 3 and above, while explaining the technologies of conventional sensors and LiDAR. We will cover the fundamentals to applications of sensor fusion technology that combines these sensors, as well as discuss future technological trends.