Panasonic omni-directional display camera system Monitors Vehicle from Above

Panasonic developed an omni-directional display camera system that can display the periphery of a vehicle as if the image was shot from above. The system is designed to notify the driver of information on the spots around the car that are likely to be blind spots when parking. The system is composed of four 250,000-pixel rear view cameras installed on the front, rear, left and right sides of the vehicle. Signals of images shot with the cameras are supplied to an electronic control unit called an image synthesizing ECU. The supplied signals are processed by the ECU so that the four images are converted into a single one that looks like it is being viewed from above the vehicle.

Although the schedule for actually mounting the system on vehicles is yet to be determined, Panasonic is aiming at commercializing it within one to two years.