ON Semiconductor and 3M collaborate to accelerate automated vehicle technology

ON Semiconductor and 3M have mutually announced their partnership to help improve the navigation systems in vehicles equipped with automated driving features. The collaboration, which combines their extensive knowledge in image sensing technology and experience with roadway safety, will advance communications between vehicles and roadway infrastructure.

“Full autonomy will require integrated systems that allow cars to communicate with each other and the driving ecosystem,” said Daniel Chen, vice president and general manager of 3M’s transportation safety division. “Achieving this requires collaboration between the automotive and roadway safety industries. That is why we’re excited to collaborate with ON Semiconductor. Together we’ll take the first steps in creating an integrated system that can help make connected and automated vehicles safer and more efficient.”

The two companies showcased their integrated technologies — ON Semiconductor’s AR0234AT CMOS image sensor assimilated with 3M’s next generation digitally enabled Smart Code sign technology — in the ON Semiconductor demo room at CES 2019 in Las Vegas.

“Our image sensors are the ‘eyes’ of autonomous vehicles, and our sensor technology can enable vehicles to ‘see’ much more than a human driver can,” said Ross Jatou, vice president and general manager of the Automotive Solutions Division, Intelligent Sensing Group at ON Semiconductor. “Working with 3M’s advanced materials technology enables our sensors to deliver additional information from enhanced infrastructure to further assist drivers beyond traditional advanced driver assistance systems (ADASs) and pave the way towards autonomous driving.”

Both companies expect their collaboration to lead to progress toward future infrastructure solutions and to enable improvement in connected and automated vehicle technology.