Demands on increased safety and comfort by the automotive industry are the main drivers for electronically based driver support systems like the rain & light sensor being an optical system, which operates in the IR-wavelength range. This article illustrates the process of constant innovation by showing the development path, starting with a standard rain sensor introduced to the market in 1997, leading to an integrated smart rain / light / tunnel sensor with associated ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) for further innovative features. Based on the rain sensor technology, the logical innovative step is the design of a smart sensor generating the control information for the wiper system as well as for the lighting system. Therefore, the sensor is using the IR-light information measured by the receiving diode (870 nm wavelength) of the rain sensor. For the realisation of a size-optimised smart sensor with increased functionality, the use of an ASIC is mandatory. The objective for this ASIC was the integration of the following functions: Supply management (optic module, voltage control), control / modulation of IR-emitters, demodulation / filtering of the receiver signal, stand-by mode logic, parameter handling for the system adaptation, and ambient light measurement. Additionally, the use of an ASIC leads to cost reductions due to less parts, cheaper PCB (printed-circuit boards) and also lower process cost related to assembly and test procedures. The light / tunnel sensor, also being an optical system with three different optical receiving diodes having different characteristics, controls the headlamps (low beam) of the car depending on the ambient luminosity and the luminosity in the direction the car travels. Such driving support systems are assisting the driver, not replacing or take over his responsibility. Despite the fact that these systems are seen as comfort features, they also increase the safety of driving by relieving stress from the driver. Having achieved a high level of performance due to improved signal conditioning and well adapted software algorithms they are becoming standard in most modern vehicles. In parallel to the IR-technology, in a middle-term view camera-based systems will enter the market as well, and will partly replace the IR-based systems.


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