AV community looks to prevent soiled sensors

The perils of a dirty sensor have become increasingly clear for the autonomous driving community, with cameras proving particularly prone to faulty operation. Just as a human might struggle to see with mucky eyeglasses, the same problem extends to a vehicle’s sensors, which already support a range of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) today.

These can be easily—and frequently—disabled due to adverse weather such as snow or a build-up of muck and grime from the road surface. Bugs may splatter the front of the car, having the same effect. Even heavy rain can lead to a malfunction. For this reason, companies are working to understand how sensors can be kept clear through a dedicated cleaning system that sprays and wipes. Work is also underway to better understand how water flow may impact sensor performance.

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