On Thursday, Pittsburgh-based Ansys announced they were collaborating with Sony Semiconductor Solutions (Sony) to enhance image sensor simulation and camera-based features in automotive applications.
Ansys solutions, including Ansys Speos, will be able to integrate with Sony sensor models to optimize and accelerate camera features for autonomous vehicles (AV) and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) applications, officials said. The technology collaboration will allow system developers to ramp up development and validation time by implementing virtual prototyping and testing, the company said.
“The Ansys and Sony technology collaboration facilitates rapid development and verification of camera features for AV and ADAS applications,” John Lee, vice president and general manager of the electronics, semiconductor, and optics business unit at Ansys, said. “As a result, the joint workflow yields more robust simulations, greater predictive accuracy, higher-fidelity images, and, ultimately, more reliable AV and ADAS applications.”
The companies said automotive image sensors must continuously evolve in order to provide safer, higher functioning ADAS capabilities. To meet the industry’s demand, Ansys developed a software interface that is compatible with Sony’s sensor models. The interface allows high-fidelity virtual camera testing in a number of scenarios and contexts, which reduces the need for physical camera testing and accelerates verification times.
“The collaboration between Ansys and Sony will provide an automotive-grade, end-to-end spectral simulation pipeline from lens models to sensor models for the ADAS perception system developers,” Kenji Onishi, deputy senior general manager, automotive business division, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, said. “Sony has prepared a sensor model based on the internal architecture of the image sensors used in camera systems to achieve automotive-grade fidelity.”