Teledyne FLIR OEM outlines a thermal-first approach to vehicle perception, positioning longwave infrared (LWIR, 8–14 µm) as a complement to visible cameras, radar, and lidar when lighting or contrast collapses. Tura is presented as an automotive-qualified thermal camera module that detects heat signatures from pedestrians and animals and feeds an AI pipeline that can label objects in real time, aiming to reduce missed detections at night and in poor weather. https://oem.flir.com/tura/
The conversation stays on automotive constraints: ISO 26262 functional-safety development targeting ASIL-B, AEC-Q qualified components, and a heated IP6K9K enclosure to keep the optical window clear for de-fog and de-ice. The module uses a 640×512 uncooled microbolometer with 12 µm pixel pitch and a shutterless signal path designed to avoid periodic shutter interruptions, which matters for uptime in production vehicles. As a reference point, they mention autonomous fleets (like Zoox) using multiple thermal cameras per vehicle to strengthen perception redundancy in low light and bad weather.
Teledyne frames the benefit as more reaction time: thermal can see roughly four times beyond headlight reach, and a published target is pedestrian/animal detection at around 200 m or more in suitable conditions. Integration details are OEM-oriented: multiple FOV options (24°/42°/70°), selectable frame rates up to 60 Hz, power-over-coax input (6–15 V), and SERDES variants for in-vehicle links (GMSL2 or FPD-Link over FAKRA) carrying MIPI video streams. They also discuss cost targets at automotive volume—potentially near $100 in scale, with nearer-term figures more like $300—plus the role of training data and perception software to accelerate deployment into an ADAS stack.
A less obvious theme is validation: Teledyne advocates thermally active pedestrian dummies that are heated to match human IR signatures, making nighttime AEB tests more representative than “cold” mannequins. Filmed at CES Las Vegas 2026 during Pepcom, the interview ties the hardware story to evolving safety expectations (including higher-speed nighttime scenarios referenced in FMVSS 127 discussions) and how repeatable targets could turn thermal performance into an engineering metric.
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