Hella, Samsung To Introduce New Rear-View Camera

Hella, the German auto electronics and lighting supplier with its Norrth American headquarters in Plymouth, said Monday it had developed a smaller, lighter-weight rear-view camera for cars and trucks of all types.

To develop its new rear-view camera system for automotive applications, Hella partnered with Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. Ltd., a camera manufacturing unit of Korea's Samsung Group. An extremely cost-effective product, it blends Hella's automotive expertise with Samsung's camera design skills.

Application engineering, development and testing of the new camera will take place in Plymouth if automakers buy it.

"The new camera, named RVC3, can be easily integrated into any vehicle due to its small size," said Mark Brainard, vice president of product development for Hella Electronics. "It can be installed in the tailgate or in a vehicle's rear emblem. Hella's system allows drivers a complete view of the area directly behind the vehicle -- a full 130 degrees directly behind the rear bumper."

Martin Fischer, president of Hella Electronics and the Hella Corporate Center USA, noted that "Hella is targeting virtually every car or truck designed to have a rear-camera system. Based on the interest we've received from automakers, we plan to have our new camera in production by 2011, just in time to meet requirements of the Kids and Cars Safety Act."

A video image of actual events occurring behind the vehicle is provided by the camera installed in the rear of the car or truck. When the vehicle is put in reverse gear, the driver is shown an unaltered rear-view image. The image is largely unaffected by external light.

With the aid of a rear-view camera, parking maneuvers also are made easier. The vehicle's rear image is shown in real time on the navigation-system display screen or another display inside the vehicle. A graphical scale on the display screen helps reference the distance to objects shown.

Hella believes that the RVC3 camera system developed together with Samsung will generate significant interest among automakers due to the product's excellent performance, package size, scalable feature sets and cost effectiveness.

More at www.hella.com. 

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