onsemi dominates the automotive imaging market | Who will be the new challengers?

The growth was due to the increased demand and higher prices driven respectively by the safety regulations and the chip shortage.

In the Imaging for Automotive 2023 report, analysts from Yole Intelligence, part of Yole Group, estimate that the camera market and the image sensor market are projected to grow at CAGRs of 9.7% and 8.7%, respectively, to $9.4 billion and $3.7 billion by 2028. Lens sets account for one-third of camera module prices, and their value is expected to grow from $1.5 billion to $2.8 billion by 2028.

ADAS cameras will be present in 94% of cars by 2028, while in-cabin cameras for DMS and OMS will experience rapid growth. Thermal cameras could gain traction if the cost comes down, and AEB could be the best application.

Despite the challenges of chip shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic, the automotive imaging ecosystem remains under the influence of OEM and Tier 1 dynamics.

Valeo leads the ADAS camera market and Continental the viewing camera market. Hikvision has gained traction as a major competitor, while DJI has entered the market with stereo front cameras leveraging their drone expertise. At the image sensor level, onsemi has a 40% market share in automotive image sensors, followed by Omnivision at 26%. Sony and Samsung have performed well last year and offer competitive pricing. In addition to these four main players who are anticipated to have a closer competition, Chinese companies such as Smartsens, BYD, and Galaxycore are increasing their investments and market shares in the automotive sector and are anticipated to have a stronger presence in the coming years, driven by the growth of the Chinese market. Sunny Optical dominates the lens set market with a 36% market share. Mobileye maintains a strong presence in the ADAS vision processor market with 52% and is expected to solidify its position.

“The total camera market volume will grow from 218 million units in 2022 to 402 million units by 2028, with most cameras currently having resolutions between 1.2 and 1.7 MP. Viewing cameras have the largest volume, with the 360° surround view system gaining traction.

“Although traditional Tier 1 players dominate the ADAS market, there are opportunities in the in-cabin segment, particularly in the Chinese market, where privacy concerns are less pronounced,” affirms Anas Chalak, Technology & Market Analyst, Imaging at Yole Intelligence.