Valens Semiconductor Expands A-PHY into High-Volume Automotive Camera Systems

Semicon Leaders Asia speaks with Daniel Shwartzberg, Director of System Solutions at Valens Semiconductor, about the growing role of MIPI A-PHY in automotive camera systems, Valens’ collaboration with onsemi on an integrated 3MP solution, and how reducing component count and system complexity could support wider adoption in high-volume vehicles. He also discusses the applications driving demand, the importance of an open multi-vendor ecosystem, and the opportunities ahead as A-PHY moves into more vehicle platforms and camera architectures.

Q. What customer and market requirements are driving demand for a cost-optimised A-PHY solution for 3MP automotive cameras, and why is this segment an important opportunity for bringing A-PHY into high-volume vehicles?

3MP is an important sweet spot for high-volume automotive cameras. Roughly half of the market is already in resolutions above 2MP, with 3MP increasingly used for applications such as surround view and other exterior cameras. OEMs want the performance, reliability and EMC robustness that A-PHY delivers, but they also need the solution to make economic sense through cost reductions when deploying the technology in vehicles produced at very large scale. A cost-optimised 3MP solution allows A-PHY to address those mainstream programs, not just higher-end applications.

Q. By integrating Valens’ A-PHY connectivity with onsemi’s image sensors, how can the new offering help OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers simplify camera architectures and accelerate the development of advanced vision systems?

Integration reduces the number of components required inside the camera and simplifies the overall design. Put simply, cameras move from a 2-chip solution (sensor + serializer) into a 1-chip design (sensor with integrated serializer). For OEMs and Tier 1s, that means fewer components to qualify, a smaller camera footprint and an easier path from design to production. It also gives them a more tightly integrated imaging and connectivity solution from the outset.

This kind of integration is only possible with a standard, and MIPI A-PHY was designed from the ground up to enable exactly this type of integration. For example, the serializer downlink uses a low signal amplitude and simple, power-efficient circuitry, while the uplink runs at a much lower baud rate and a higher signal amplitude. That makes the two paths easier to separate and implement within the sensor.

The result is a more practical path to integrating A-PHY directly into the image sensor, helping reduce component count, camera size and overall system complexity for OEMs and Tier 1s. Because A-PHY is an open standard, this approach also preserves interoperability across a multi-vendor ecosystem, giving OEMs and Tier 1s greater flexibility in how they source and build their camera and vision systems as the technology evolves. 

Q. With most automotive image sensors currently targeting the 1–3MP range, what customer applications do you see benefiting most from the new 3MP solution, particularly as automakers move towards higher-resolution camera systems?

There are a lot of applications in this range, particularly surround-view, parking and other exterior cameras that are being deployed in increasingly large numbers per vehicle. Mirror replacement is another important use case, where higher-resolution cameras can support the image quality needed for electronic mirror systems. At the same time, the industry is steadily moving toward higher resolutions, so 3MP provides an important bridge between today's mass-market architectures and the next generation of vision systems. 

Q. Cost and design simplicity are important considerations for high-volume automotive programmes. What practical advantages can the integrated solution offer compared with using separate connectivity and imaging components?

The biggest advantages are lower system complexity, reduced component count and a smaller and more cost-efficient camera design. Instead of separately integrating an image sensor and connectivity device, manufacturers get a solution designed to work together, which can simplify development, qualification and manufacturing.

Q. The collaboration brings together Valens’ A-PHY expertise and onsemi’s automotive imaging capabilities. How does working with another major A-PHY silicon supplier help strengthen the ecosystem and give automakers greater supplier choice?

This is exactly what an open automotive standard should enable. Automakers don’t want to depend on a single supplier for a critical technology, so having multiple major semiconductor companies developing A-PHY solutions gives OEMs greater choice and ensures a more resilient supply chain.

It also significantly broadens the addressable camera market. Together with Sony’s IMX828, the addition of an integrated 3MP solution from onsemi means A-PHY will have integrated sensor options covering most major automotive camera applications, from high-volume surround-view and parking cameras through to higher-resolution ADAS systems.

Q. Valens has already secured A-PHY design wins with multiple OEMs. What are the next key opportunities and milestones for the company as it works to move A-PHY from early adoption towards broader deployment in mainstream automotive camera systems?

The next step is to use the momentum we’ve already built to accelerate additional design wins. We now have strong partnerships across the ecosystem, including with companies such as Mobileye and onsemi, which give OEMs a much more complete and proven path to adopting A-PHY.

Those partnerships can act as a springboard into more vehicle platforms, more camera applications and more OEMs. As the ecosystem continues to expand around sensors, processors and other components, A-PHY becomes an increasingly simple technology for automakers to adopt at scale.