Sensor Technology
Advancing automotive vision and security with edge AI and HDR imaging
By Paul Wu, director, automotive product marketing, OMNIVISION T
he automotive industry is undergoing a massive shift as vehicles transition from passive machines into intelligent, software-defined systems. At the heart of this evolution is the transformation of automotive vision. Traditional camera setups are reaching their physical limits, struggling with high power consumption and the complex challenge of capturing both blindingly bright (figure 1) and pitch- black environments simultaneously. The latest imaging developments are redefining vehicle safety, security, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD).
Automotive security
Edge AI is fundamentally changing how automotive vision systems are designed. The next generation of automotive vision systems will combine high-performance image sensing with intelligent edge processing. Instead of continuously transmitting large volumes of raw image data to a centralized processor, more AI inference is moving closer to the sensor. This enables lower latency, reduced bandwidth, improved energy efficiency and faster system response.
A great example is the new ASIC that OMNIVISION recently showcased at AutoSens Europe 2026, an always-on vision (AOV) AI companion processor designed for automotive security applications. The device integrates an embedded neural processing unit (NPU) to support edge AI functions such as human presence detection (HPD), person and object detection, and distance measurement. By performing these perception tasks locally, the system reduces the processing burden on the central compute platform while enabling faster and more efficient decision-making.
24 October 2026 Components in Electronics
(Above) Figure 1: automotive cameras must capture bright and dark scenarios for ASAS and AD systems to work effectively.
(Left) Figure 2: Exterior automotive parking surveillance systems.
Another key innovation is its ultra-low- power architecture. Parking surveillance systems (figure 2) equipped with the new ultra-low-power OAX7700 ASIC are designed to consume 97 per cent less power than existing solutions on the market today.
This ASIC is specifically designed for always-on operation, allowing the vision system to continuously monitor the vehicle's surroundings while consuming minimal power. Instead of keeping the host processor and video transmission active at all times, the new ASIC performs AI inference locally and wakes the host processor only when a meaningful event is
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