STMicroelectronics N.V.Launches VD56GA infrared sensor with 35% better sharpness and ~60% higher IR sensitivity, cutting camera-module cost

STMicroelectronics introduced the ST SafeSense VD56GA, a 1.1-megapixel infrared image sensor for in-cabin driver and passenger monitoring cameras, on September 14. The company says the sensor's stronger infrared imaging lets carmakers pair it with cheaper lenses, simpler infrared lighting and lighter filtering, and skip a separate image-processing chip, trimming cost across the whole camera module; sharpness is up 35% and infrared sensitivity up nearly 60% from the previous generation. An analyst at Yole Group expects driver and occupant monitoring volumes to top 70 million units by 2031, and STMicroelectronics said earlier this year it shipped its 10 millionth SafeSense automotive image sensor. The launch follows second-quarter revenue of $3.49 billion, up 26.0% from a year earlier, with third-quarter guidance of about $3.70 billion at the midpoint, though operating margin under U.S. GAAP was only 5.4% and the power and discrete segment lost $99 million at the operating level. The company has not named any automakers or suppliers committed to the chip, and management's case for faster fourth-quarter growth centers on AI datacenters and satellite communication programs rather than this sensor.
STMicroelectronics N.V.Launches VD56GA infrared sensor with 35% better sharpness and ~60% higher IR sensitivity, cutting camera-module cost