In October 2025, the automotive CMOS image sensor IMX828 launched by Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (SSSC) provides the automotive camera module industry with an integrated solution featuring "high integration, low power consumption, and strong reliability" through the industry's first built-in MIPI A-PHY interface technology. Tailored to the rigorous requirements of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for camera modules, this product is expected to reshape the design logic and industrial structure of automotive camera modules through dual innovations in hardware integration and performance optimization.
In the process of upgrading automotive camera modules toward higher resolution and multi-scenario adaptation, two core bottlenecks have emerged: First, ADAS requires high-speed and reliable communication between cameras and Electronic Control Units (ECUs) within 15 meters. Traditional solutions rely on external serializer chips to adapt to high-speed interfaces such as MIPI A-PHY, which increases the module's BOM cost by several US dollars, expands the circuit board size by 20%, and exacerbates power consumption and heat generation issues due to the superposition of multiple components—conflicting with the compact design needs of automotive systems. Second, imaging reliability is insufficient under complex road conditions: red LED traffic lights tend to suffer from color distortion due to overexposure during the day, while low-light environments at night and high-speed moving targets easily cause motion blur, directly affecting the recognition accuracy of ADAS algorithms. According to industry statistics, the power consumption proportion of traditional 8-megapixel automotive modules caused by external serializers reaches 35%, and the error rate of red light recognition is as high as 12%.
The IMX828 reconstructs the performance boundaries of automotive camera modules from the bottom layer through three core technological innovations:
This sensor integrates the MIPI A-PHY interface directly into the chip for the first time. Equipped with independently developed error correction circuits, it can achieve a downlink transmission rate of 8Gbps and long-distance communication of 15 meters, with a data error rate lower than that of traditional external serializer solutions. This breakthrough eliminates the need for the module to be equipped with additional serializers and their peripheral components, directly realizing three optimizations: reducing BOM cost by several US dollars, shrinking the circuit board size by 20%, and lowering overall power consumption by 15%-20%. At the same time, it reduces signal loss between components, providing greater flexibility for the thermal design and spatial integration of the module.
Adopting a self-developed pixel structure, it enhances the saturation characteristic to 47Kcd/m². Combined with a 150dB dynamic range (dynamic range priority mode), it can accurately restore the color of red LED lights under strong daylight, reducing the red light recognition error rate to below 3%. Meanwhile, the dual-exposure HDR driving mode jointly developed with Mobileye can continuously output images with different exposures and synthesize them in real time. While improving the imaging brightness in low illumination, it reduces the motion blur of dynamic targets by 40%, adapting to complex scenarios such as night driving and high-speed overtaking.
The built-in parking monitoring mode controls power consumption below 100mW through low-resolution (1-10fps) imaging. It can independently realize moving object detection when the ECU is turned off, and quickly switch to the 45fps full-resolution mode after triggering. This function enables the camera module to achieve 24-hour security monitoring without relying on external power supply modules, further optimizing the power management efficiency of the entire vehicle.
In terms of compliance and industrial adaptation, the IMX828 fully meets the needs of automotive scenarios: its hardware indicators comply with the ASIL-B level of the ISO 26262 functional safety standard, and its development process meets the ASIL-D level. It also plans to obtain the AEC-Q100 Grade 2 reliability certification, and complies with the ISO 26262 (hardware ASIL-B, development process ASIL-D) and ISO/SAE 21434 standards. Sample shipments will start in November 2025, and mass production is expected in Q2 2026. At that time, it will provide core component support for modules such as front-view main cameras and side-view blind spot monitoring.
The technological breakthrough of the IMX828 will have a profound impact on the automotive camera module industry: First, the interface integration technology may become an industry benchmark, prompting subsequent sensor manufacturers to follow up with built-in high-speed interface designs, and accelerating the transformation of automotive modules from "multi-component assembly" to "integrated integration". Second, the optimization of cost and power consumption will promote the penetration of 8-megapixel high-definition modules from flagship models to mid-range models priced at 150,000-250,000 yuan. It is expected that the penetration rate of high-definition modules in this price segment will increase to 45% in 2026. Third, the in-depth cooperation with algorithm vendors such as Mobileye provides a model for the collaborative development of "sensor-algorithm-module", further improving the perception reliability of ADAS systems.
Industry analysts point out that as automotive intelligence moves toward L3 level, the number of automotive cameras per vehicle will increase to 8-12, and the global market size of automotive camera modules is expected to exceed 28 billion US dollars in 2026. The launch of Sony's IMX828 not only consolidates its technological advantages in the field of automotive image sensors but also will provide key support for the safe implementation of ADAS systems through the performance upgrade at the module level.