Nippon Chemi-Con has developed a camera module featuring MIPI A-PHY, an ultra-high-speed interface standard for next-generation automotive electronics. Accordingly, the company is aiming for commercial applications in the camera module market, which is expected to see demand related to autonomous vehicles and advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS).

As part of those efforts, Nippon Chemi-con succeeded in developing a camera module using the VA7000 chipset from Valens Semiconductor, an Israeli fabless manufacturing company, which released the industry’s first chipset to achieve compliance with the A-PHY standard. Moreover, the company will conduct manufacturing of this module at Chemi-Con Nagaoka Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary, located in Nagaoka, Niigata.

NCM25-AC

The NCM25-AC is a camera module developed based on the concept that MIPI-A-PHY products will be embedded into devices used in autonomous vehicles and ADAS (for example, ECU). The VA7000 chipset converts the output signal from the image sensor into the industry standard MIPI A-PHY signal.

In addition, Nippon-Chemicon believes that by providing a module that combines its trusted technology with this standard signal encryption, it can accelerate the evaluation and decision-making processes of customers considering adoption for use in autonomous vehicles and ADAS.

Nippon-Chemicon recently displayed samples at Automotive Engineering Exposition 2023, which took place at Pacifico Yokohama in May. As for a mass production schedule, the company said it will decide on specifics based on an evaluation of future market trends.