LG Innotek develops self-heating camera module for vehicles

[Courtesy of LG Innotek]

South Korea’s LG Innotek Co. announced Tuesday that it developed a cutting-edge self-heating camera module designed for autonomous vehicles, capable of rapidly removing frost and snow from the lens.

The self-heating camera is an enhanced version of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) camera, equipped with a heater to address issues caused by frost or snow accumulation on the lens during extremely cold weather conditions.

Automotive manufacturers consider self-heating cameras essential for ensuring safe autonomous driving, as obstructed lenses can lead to failure in detecting surrounding obstacles, potentially resulting in severe accidents.

LG Innotek’s high-performance heating camera module consumes a maximum of 4W, significantly reducing power consumption compared to existing models.

The defrosting time for the lens has also been halved compared to conventional modules.

In experiments conducted in extreme temperatures as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius, LG Innotek’s module demonstrated the ability to restore the frozen lens to room temperature resolution within just four minutes, whereas conventional products took an average of eight minutes, according to the company.

The module incorporates a high-efficiency PTC material that autonomously adjusts the current to maintain an optimal temperature when the temperature rises above a certain level.

This innovative technology enables the placement of the heater in the lower portion of the lens, the optimal location for rapid removal of snow and frost, without the risk of overheating and degrading lens performance.

LG Innotek emphasized its use of world-class precision optical design and camera module assembly technology to overcome the limitations of previous products that used heat-conductive materials.

The integration of the lens and heater into a single module has increased design flexibility. The company claims that the size of the camera module remains similar to conventional ones, allowing for easy retrofitting into existing positions without additional design changes.

The high-performance heating camera module was first showcased at Consumer Electronics Show 2024 in January. LG Innotek is actively promoting the product to global customers, targeting mass production by 2027.

According to data, the global market for vehicle camera modules is expected to grow at an annual average of 7 percent to $10.03 billion by 2030 from $6.4 billion in 2023.