"Camera Sensor, Cleaned by Rotating Wipe" Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Unveil New Technology

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have unveiled a new technology that effectively removes foreign substances from camera sensors. Camera sensors, which serve as the eyes of autonomous vehicles, can cause serious accidents if not kept clean. Instead of the conventional methods of spraying washer fluid or physically wiping with wipers, Hyundai and Kia have devised a new approach that cleans by rotating the cover glass.

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia unveil camera sensor cleaning technology 'Rotator Cam'. Provided by Hyundai Motor Group [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 6th, Hyundai and Kia announced that they have developed the 'Rotator-Cam' technology for the first time, which removes external contamination by combining the rotation of the camera cover glass with a small wiper.

Even tiny foreign substances on sensors can lead to fatal errors in autonomous vehicles. Sensor cleaning technology is therefore considered a top priority for the precise operation of autonomous driving functions.

Currently, camera sensor cleaning technology widely uses a pop-up nozzle to spray washer fluid. However, during rain, washer fluid residue or raindrops can accumulate on the lens surface. While using electric wipers to physically wipe the lens offers good performance, it has the limitation of potentially obstructing the camera sensor’s field of view.

The newly revealed Rotator-Cam technology cleans contamination by rotating the cover glass that protects the camera lens. It secures excellent performance without blocking the sensor’s field of view.

Source=Hyundai Kia

The Rotator-Cam consists of an electric motor to rotate the cover glass, a washer fluid supply device, and a fixed wiper blade. When image analysis AI detects contamination, the washer fluid supply device automatically activates and rotates the cover glass. As the glass rotates, contaminants are filtered by the small wiper. It is designed not to spray washer fluid during rain, minimizing the spreading of water droplets.

Typically, sensor cleaning technologies using cover glass face issues with moisture buildup inside. Hyundai and Kia’s new technology addresses this by generating airflow with an internal propeller when the cover glass rotates, removing moisture.

Hyundai and Kia expect that once commercialized, the Rotator-Cam technology will support the advanced sensing technology essential for Level 4 autonomous driving. Additionally, it can contribute to increasing the localization rate of parts by replacing nozzle-based cleaning technology, which mostly relies on imports. Hyundai and Kia have completed patent applications for the Rotator-Cam technology and plan to review mass production after durability and performance testing.

A Hyundai and Kia official stated, "Sensor cleaning technology is a key element to accelerate autonomous driving technology," adding, "We will continue to make efforts across all departments to develop various convenience technologies based on future mobility that prioritize customer safety."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.