Strategy Analytics (SA) has been tracking the deployment of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) since some its earliest deployment and has been speaking to a number of leading players in the camera industry regarding the latest product developments.   From its research, SA concludes that these new developments will lead to an expanded opportunity and growth in automotive cameras - and predicts annual demand at 50 million units by 2016. As a result, cameras represent one of the fastest growing sensor technologies in the automotive industry.  New developments include:

• The development of more compact, lower cost camera module designs but with increased levels of performance.
• Greater ease in adding new image based systems to the vehicle, thanks to increased deployment of flat panel screens used in primary instrument clusters, center stacks, and even small displays integrated into rear view mirror, in more new vehicle designs.
• The development of new ADAS features that require the use of multiple cameras, such as the surround vision systems and corner view junction cameras that are being fitted on some Japanese minivan models, or the use of cameras to provide additional support to other sensors used in ADAS, such as object detection and identification in Adaptive Cruise Control and Pre-Crash Safety systems.
• Improved ability to use the same imaging camera to feed its information to multiple ADAS features, thus raising the benefit-to-cost proposition of the camera.  One example is the multi-functional windshield camera, now deployed on some European sedans, used to input to several safety features.
• Growth in designs of new car models that are much sleeker and coupe-like which, while they appeal to consumers viewed from the outside they offer poor visibility to the driver from the inside; Also, production of large minivan and SUV models with significant blindspots represent a sizeable proportion of the industry's total - both these vehicle segments can benefit from additional camera based park assistance.
• There is a high possibility that government mandates will require fitment of cameras on future models.  In the US, the Gulbransen Act has forced NHTSA to look into park assistance systems such as cameras to prevent deaths of children when drivers are backing-up.  Similar mandates have already been legislated on heavy duty and light commercial vehicles to prevent back-up and blindspot collisions in Europe, Japan and North America. 

For clients wanting to see the full report and market forecast on automotive cameras and systems using cameras, please go to http://www.strategyanalytics.com/default.aspx?mod=ReportAbstractViewer&a0=5221 to download the relevant Viewpoint, and the accompanying ADAS supply database can be downloaded at http://www.strategyanalytics.com/default.aspx?mod=ReportAbstractViewer&a0=5220.