News Releases

Width of Both Lenses of Stereo Camera Halved Compared to
Previous Model and to be Fitted in the Suzuki Mini Vehicle,
the “Hustler”

Tokyo, December 21, 2015 --- Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. today announced that the company has halved the width of both lenses of its stereo camera compared to the previous model and has been fitted to the Hustler (X, X Turbo, specially-equipped J STYLE II), released for sale this month by Suzuki Motor Corporation.

The stereo camera is a sensor that recognizes the outside environment and plays the role of human “eyes” so that the vehicle can perceive obstacles etc. through images. This sensor can instantaneously detect the size, position, and speed of multiple three-dimensional objects and accurately determine the difference between lane markings such as white and yellow lines.

In recent years, more advanced safe driving support systems such as collision mitigation brakes are being fitted to vehicles with the aim of preventing traffic accidents. The stereo camera by Hitachi Automotive Systems entered the market in 2008 as a core product for this system and has been highly evaluated. Furthermore, with increasing demand for equipping mini and compact vehicles with safe driving support systems, a stereo camera that was small enough to fit in such vehicles was required.

The stereo camera referred to here has applied image recognition processing technology so that it alone can realize safe driving support functions including pedestrian/vehicle collision mitigation, lane departure warning (LDW), lane sway warning, lead vehicle start alert, and erroneous start prevention. With these safe driving support functions, layout in mini vehicles and compact vehicles using the newly halved-width camera was highly evaluated by Suzuki, leading to its adoption in the Hustler.

This stereo camera has also been adopted for the Spacia and Spacia Custom mini vehicles released by Suzuki in May, 2015, and the Solio and Solio Bandit compact vehicles released in August, 2015.

Hitachi Automotive Systems will continue to pursue more advanced automobile safety technology with the goal of realizing a society with no traffic accidents as well as provide automobile device systems, products, and services with new added value for people, vehicles, and society.

About Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.

Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company is engaged in the development, manufacture, sales and services of automotive components, transportation related components, industrial machines and systems, and offers a wide range of automotive systems including engine management systems, electric power train systems, drive control systems and car information systems. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi-automotive.co.jp/en/.