In-Vehicle Camera System

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS^*) and autonomous driving technology in the automotive industry are evolving every day. In addition, there is growing demand for methods to enhance visibility to prevent serious accidents caused by drivers not noticing signs or pedestrians. Nikon and Mitsubishi Fuso have developed an innovative in-vehicle camera system to create new value for future trucks and buses.
The initiative led to developing an innovative camera featuring a single-lens system, which integrates telephoto and wide-angle functions to enable users to see far away and also check their periphery. Nikon is exploring a variety of possibilities to expand the use of this innovative technology not only in vehicles but also in other diverse fields.

*Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems: A general term for technologies that enable vehicles themselves to collect information on their surroundings, alert drivers and assist in vehicle control to ensure driver safety and comfortable driving.

Benefits of the in-vehicle camera system

Through video and image analysis, the system can detect events that would be difficult for the human eye to notice, and visualize them or notify the driver.

Single-lens system that integrates telephoto and wide-angle functions

The integration of telephoto and wide-angle functions in a single-lens system enables the camera to capture images both far away and in the close periphery simultaneously. The optical axes of the far-away and periphery shots are the same, which prevents parallax. As such, when used as an in-vehicle camera with the AI performing image recognition to collect road information that requires tracking signs or other vehicles in the distance, the camera system reduces the risk of losing track of an object or detecting a double image.

Reduced costs and failure rates due to effective positioning in the vehicle

When using this system as an in-vehicle camera, its effective positioning and integrated telephoto and wide-angle lens system means fewer cameras have to be installed in the vehicle. This innovation allows for uninterrupted 360-degree coverage while reducing common challenges like high system costs and failure rates.

Strengths of the in-vehicle camera system

■A 360° camera and a 180° camera work together to cover the entire area around the vehicle, removing blind spots.
■The Tele & Wide camera combines a super-wide view of over 180° with the ability to spot people up to 150 meters away.

A camera that combines a telephoto lens and a wide-angle lens.

Nikon and Mitsubishi Fuso aim to create new value for the future of trucks and buses through an in-vehicle camera system that uses optical technology and image processing to detect and visualize events that would be difficult to spot with the human eye. Nikon will explore potential ways of using this innovative solution not only in vehicles but also in other diverse fields.