Sony Unveils World’s First Automotive CMOS Image Sensor with Built-in MIPI A-PHY Interface
Atsugi, Japan – October 28, 2025 — Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony) has announced the release of the IMX828, the industry’s first CMOS image sensor for automotive applications equipped with a built-in MIPI A-PHY interface. This innovation marks a major milestone in automotive imaging technology, offering enhanced high dynamic range (HDR) performance, reduced power consumption, and greater design efficiency for next-generation vehicle cameras.
Industry First with Built-in MIPI A-PHY Interface
Automotive camera systems rely on high-speed, low-latency, and reliable communication between cameras and electronic control units (ECUs). Traditionally, these systems required external serializer chips to handle data transmission. The IMX828 eliminates this need by integrating the MIPI A-PHY interface directly into the image sensor, a first in the industry.
By embedding this next-generation communication interface, Sony enables a more compact camera module that not only reduces power consumption but also simplifies thermal management and design complexity. The built-in error handling circuitry, developed by Sony, further strengthens data reliability by minimizing transmission errors caused by external noise — a crucial advantage in the electrically noisy environments of modern vehicles.
This integration delivers multiple benefits to OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers:
- Lower system cost by removing the need for a separate serializer chip
- Smaller board size and improved heat efficiency
- Lower overall camera power consumption
- Increased data transmission stability and error resistance
Enhanced HDR Performance for Safer Driving
The IMX828 stands out with its 8-effective-megapixel resolution and the industry’s highest HDR capability—achieving a dynamic range of up to 150 dB. This performance ensures accurate color reproduction and visibility even in challenging lighting conditions, such as bright sunlight or low-light environments.
Sony’s proprietary pixel structure achieves a remarkable 47 Kcd/m² saturation, allowing the sensor to clearly capture high-luminance objects like red LED taillights or traffic signals without color distortion. This is particularly valuable for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies that depend on accurate visual recognition.
Furthermore, the sensor maintains stable performance even at high operating temperatures, with a maximum junction temperature of 125°C, ensuring reliability across a wide range of environmental conditions.
Dual-HDR Capture Mode Developed with Mobileye
In collaboration with Mobileye, Sony has introduced a new dual-HDR capture mode that continuously captures two HDR images with different exposure conditions. This mode enhances low-light imaging while reducing motion blur, resulting in clearer images of moving objects and improved computer vision performance.
The result is better recognition accuracy across diverse driving environments — from dimly lit tunnels to bright city streets — strengthening the sensor’s role in the safety-critical systems of autonomous vehicles.
Built-in Low-Power Parking Surveillance
A key innovation of the IMX828 is its low-power-consumption parking surveillance function. When a vehicle is parked, the sensor operates in a power-saving mode, capturing low-resolution images at a reduced frame rate while consuming less than 100 mW of power.
If motion is detected, the sensor automatically alerts the ECU and switches to normal imaging mode, providing enhanced security against theft or vandalism without draining the vehicle’s battery. This feature is expected to play an important role in next-generation smart parking and monitoring systems.
Compliance with Automotive Reliability and Safety Standards
Sony has designed the IMX828 to meet the stringent quality and reliability demands of the automotive industry. The sensor is expected to obtain AEC-Q100 Grade 2 certification prior to mass production, ensuring reliability under automotive environmental conditions.
It also complies with ISO 26262 functional safety standards. Its hardware metrics meet ASIL-B, and its development process aligns with ASIL-D, providing robust safety assurance for camera-based driver-assistance systems.
Built-In Security for Automotive Applications
Recognizing the growing importance of cybersecurity in connected vehicles, the IMX828 includes optional security features to safeguard system integrity. These include:
- Camera authentication using public key algorithms to verify sensor authenticity
- Image tamper detection to ensure the reliability of captured data
- Communication authentication to prevent unauthorized data manipulation
Sony has followed the ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity standard in the sensor’s development process, addressing potential risks throughout the product’s lifecycle.
A Step Toward Next-Generation Automotive Imaging
The IMX828 represents more than a technological breakthrough—it signals a strategic shift toward simplified, energy-efficient, and secure automotive camera systems. By integrating the MIPI A-PHY interface, Sony not only reduces system complexity but also paves the way for scalable designs in upcoming vehicle architectures.
Sony has also expressed plans to expand this approach by developing image sensors with other high-speed transmission interfaces beyond MIPI A-PHY. This open and flexible strategy will support future innovations in camera-based automotive systems, including autonomous driving and advanced safety technologies.
With the introduction of the IMX828, Sony Semiconductor Solutions redefines the standard for automotive image sensors. The integration of MIPI A-PHY into the sensor itself, combined with high HDR performance, superior noise resistance, and ultra-low power capabilities, delivers a powerful platform for the next generation of vehicle cameras.
As the automotive industry accelerates toward greater automation, connectivity, and safety, the IMX828 positions Sony at the forefront of imaging innovation — driving the evolution of smarter, safer, and more energy-efficient vehicles for the road ahead.
Notes:
1: Among CMOS image sensors for automotive cameras, according to Sony research as of October 28, 2025.
2: Based on effective pixel specification method.
