DECEMBER 18--Melexis (Ieper, Belgium; www.melexis.com) has signed a contract with a major automotive-system house to develop and manufacture a CMOS optical camera. Emerging applications are forseen in in-vehicle and outside-vehicle applications. The first include optical seat occupant detection and out of position detection. The second use cameras for dead angle detection, lane tracking for automatic cruise control, and night vision. Within five years there could be as many as five cameras in a car.

"There are a lot of camera suppliers in the world. However, many manufacture devices that are not suitable for automotive applications. In automotive applications, there are strong requirements for dynamic range, response time, and blooming effects. The Melexis CMOS camera will offer the best of these features without adverse blooming effects, at an affordable price and with required automotive quality levels," says Roger Diels, business unit manager.

Wed Dec 18 08:35:00 CST 2002