Vehicle-mounted infrared cameras: Safety value and application prospects driven by regulations

With the upgrading of global automotive safety regulations, infrared cameras are shifting from being a "luxury option" to a "key technology" for achieving advanced safety features. In the dark and in adverse weather conditions, traditional sensors have obvious limitations, while infrared technology, with its unique advantages, is witnessing a critical turning point in industry development.

The US NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has issued the "Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 127 (FMVSS 127) regulations, which require that by 2029, all new vehicles must be equipped with a pedestrian automatic emergency braking (PAEB) system that can function effectively at night. The testing requires that the vehicles be able to avoid collisions with pedestrians under environmental lighting conditions of less than 0.2 lux (no street lights). This regulation directly challenges the performance limits of traditional cameras and radars that rely on visible light, creating a clear market demand for long-wave infrared (LWIR) cameras capable of detecting human body heat radiation.

The 2026 version of the Euro NCAP testing regulations in Europe has explicitly prioritized the protection of vulnerable road users (VRU) at night, requiring AEB systems to have the ability to detect in greater distances and darker environments. Additionally, the EU regulations have mandated that all new vehicles must be equipped with a driver fatigue and distraction monitoring system based on cameras starting from July 2026. This has accelerated the rapid adoption of near-infrared (NIR) technology in the interior perception field.

（The picture is from the Internet）

The core value of infrared cameras lies in the uniqueness of their physical sensing principle. They do not rely on ambient light but instead passively receive the thermal radiation (long-wave infrared) emitted by objects. Therefore, they can:

①Penetrate darkness and glare: In night conditions, at tunnel entrances and exits where there are alternating light and dark areas, as well as under the glare of oncoming vehicles, they can still capture clear images and effectively detect pedestrians and animals.

②Ignore visual camouflage: They can clearly identify pedestrians wearing dark clothing and hidden in shadows, solving the failure of visible light cameras in low-contrast scenarios.

③Effective detection range is long: Advanced infrared systems can detect up to 350 meters, far exceeding the effective range of car headlights, providing valuable reaction time for AEB systems on high-speed vehicles.