A More Ambitious FPA Development
A new program called FNIR is being started in Europe to develop a low-cost automotive night vision system based on fused images from an uncooled LWIR imager and a near-infrared (NIR) imager.
Uncooled infrared focal plane arrays based on vanadium oxide and amorphous silicon microbolometers are now well established. But new technologies are around the corner.
Acreo AB is spinning off its QWIP (Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector) business to a new company called IRnova AB.
A proposed European Union regulation to enhance pedestrian safety may help to significantly expand the use of automotive infrared night vision systems. The proposed regulation will require a specific active safety system called Brake Assist on all new vehicles starting on July 1, 2008. In addition, new types of equipment, such as collision avoidance, will be recognized as alternatives to Brake Assist.