Automotive imaging systems are crucial for ADAS and autonomous vehicles, but temperature changes cause optical distortions and dimensional variability within the camera that degrade image quality.  Lenses can be used to partially compensate for the undesirable temperature effects. It is shown that at temperatures around 60-65 °C, the performance of a glass lens based 8 MP camera with 2.1 μm pixel pitch degrades rapidly. However, automotive cameras need to operate at temperatures from -40°C to +105°C.

Further testing to assess the thermal robustness in automotive imaging systems and the performance of an automotive camera with autofocus capability, the Sharp-7 MEMS autofocus camera is compared to a reference fixed focus camera, both using the same automotive-grade sensor (Omnivision OX08B) and lens (Sunex DSL166A). Testing over a temperature range of -40°C to +120°C showed that the Sharp-7 with autofocus capability consistently maintained higher sharpness (SFR) values, while the reference camera experienced performance degradation in extreme temperatures.

This thermal stability is critical for ADAS applications, where sharpness directly impacts detection accuracy and compliance with emerging standards like EMVA 1288. Additionally, preliminary analysis showed no increase in geometric distortion or chromatic aberration due to MEMS actuation, suggesting this autofocus approach is optically safe for use in automotive-grade systems.

Furthermore, as industry progresses towards higher pixel count image sensors while reducing the pixel size, the temperature issues become especially important and compensation becomes essential to enable such a progression. A MEMS-based autofocus system dynamically adjusts the image sensor position along the optical axis in response to temperature feedback, restoring SFR and maintaining focus. This scalable solution enhances the reliability of automotive vision systems through real-time focus correction for improved safety and performance.