Sony is making significant strides in the automotive CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) business, as the market for automobile cameras continues to burgeon. With the aim of turning its automotive CIS operations profitable by the fiscal year of 2026, the company is aligning itself with the surge in the need for automotive cameras which promises enhanced image quality and functionalities.
The company’s leadership, spearheaded by the president and CEO of Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Terushi Shimizu, conveyed at a recent business briefing that the automotive CIS arm is considered a key strategic focus, abundant with growth possibilities. While recognizing the challenges of scaling the business, Sony is optimistic about the trajectory of its automotive CIS segment, eyeing profitability within the next few years.
A noticeable trend in the automotive industry is the substantial increase in cameras per vehicle, paralleling the multi-lens trend observed in smartphone technology. Sony predicts a dramatic sixfold rise in the global number of car cameras from 2019 to 2030, whereas the growth in car sales is expected to be more modest. Particularly, by the fiscal years of 2024-2025, the estimation is that each car will feature around eight in-vehicle cameras, including various sensors ranging from telephoto to wide-angle and several surround view sensors. This number is anticipated to grow to approximately 12 cameras per car by the fiscal years of 2027-2028.
The push towards more cameras responds to emergent autonomous driving technologies, which demand long-distance recognition, superior resolution, and escalated pixel count. In addition, the industry is exhibiting a heightened appetite for tech advancements like LED Flicker Mitigation (LFM) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) functionalities. Sony is at the forefront, developing sophisticated sensor technologies that unite visual and recognition capacities, thus capable of transmitting both visual and sensing recognition signals through a single sensor.
Sony’s position in the automotive CIS market is strong, capturing 32% global market share (excluding in-cabin cameras) by sales amount in 2023. With aspirations to expand this share to 43% by fiscal 2026, the company is determined to evolve its automotive CIS sector from its current status of strategic growth to a standing of profitable sustainability.
The trajectory of Sony’s automotive CIS business reflects an insightful acknowledgment of the rapid advancements and evolving needs within the automotive industry. As the company gears up to meet these demands with innovative technologies and strategic business maneuvers, the automotive world watches with anticipation, sketching a future where cars are not just means of transportation but hubs of high-tech vision and sensing capabilities.
