Automakers like Volvo have equipped their vehicles with LiDAR camera systems that help them perceive surroundings in 3D with exceptionally high accuracy, thanks to the rapid pulsing of infrared light (IR). While IR is invisible to the naked eye, you will know its presence once you point a smartphone camera in the direction of the car’s LiDAR system, because the moment you do, you will almost immediately notice severe glitching from the device’s viewfinder, indicating that you’ve probably caused irreversible damage to the sensor.
Smartphones are equipped with CMOS sensors, which are highly sensitive to high-powered IR blasts
A small video posted by the account @Rainmaker1973 on X shows a Volvo EX90 equipped with a LiDAR system mounted on the roof. With this comprehensive addition, the vehicle pretty much has an Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS), which enables features like automatic emergency braking, collision avoidance, and adaptive cruise control, while accurately detecting people and objects like cyclists, pedestrians, road objects, and other obstacles. It can also fry a smartphone’s camera, as shown below.
The unnamed device’s viewfinder started glitching, showing pinkish-purple marks that resemble stars, with a trail left in the direction of the LiDAR system. These systems generally employ IR lasers with a wavelength of 1,550nm, and if a smartphone camera is exposed enough, it can also result in permanently dead pixels. In addition to generating heat, a mobile device’s CMOS sensor is highly sensitive to IR blasts, as this hardware isn’t designed to absorb a concentrated beam of light that is meant to bounce back off an object that is several hundred meters away.
For those wondering if the Volvo EX90’s LiDAR system is powerful enough to damage eyes, you don’t have to worry. Vehicles with this hardware are certified as Class 1 laser and are designed to be safe under regular use since the power level is too low. The 1,550nm wavelength would be blocked before reaching the Retina. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, camera sensors are highly susceptible, so assuming that you have a spare phone that you don’t really care about, you’re free to experiment with it. However, keep your daily driver safe from such exposure.
News Source: @Rainmaker1973
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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