As intelligent vehicles become increasingly dependent on advanced vision and display technologies, both Camera Monitor Systems (CMS) and AR-HUD are evolving beyond their traditional roles.
Hirain is combining optical design, AI-powered perception, ultra-low-latency processing and self-cleaning technology to improve the reliability of CMS, while exploring 3D AR-HUD, eye tracking and AI-driven contextual rendering to create more immersive and intuitive cockpit experiences. In this interview, the company discusses the technologies it believes will shape the next generation of intelligent vehicle interaction.
An interview with:
1. As an increasingly important part of the intelligent vehicle vision system, CMS (Camera Monitor System) is gradually moving toward large-scale adoption. What is Hirain's positioning and product advantage in CMS?
For CMS, optics serve as the foundation. If the input quality at the front end is insufficient, even the most advanced backend algorithms can only compensate. Therefore, we insist on enhancing performance from the source by adopting a dual-lens design combining wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Together with high-precision calibration and image stitching algorithms, our system seamlessly fuses multiple video streams into a continuous, natural panoramic view, supporting flexible switching between different viewing modes to adapt to various driving scenarios. In simple terms, our goal is: see more comprehensively, stitch more accurately, and switch views more smoothly. Underpinning this approach is the synergistic integration of optical technology, algorithmic intelligence, and platform capabilities—this represents a key differentiation of our solution.
We have developed five core competencies: fully autonomous optical design, AI-powered perception, AI ISP (Image Signal Processing), ultra-low latency, and ultrasonic self-cleaning technology. These capabilities collectively form the competitive edge of our solution and reflect our strategic foundation for global market competition.
2. CMS differs fundamentally from general vision products-it is a real-time safety system that drivers rely on every second. This leads to two extremely stringent requirements: system latency and environmental robustness. What are Hirain’s innovations in these two dimensions?
In the field of CMS, we believe latency is not merely a matter of user experience—it is a critical safety issue. In high-speed scenarios, tens of milliseconds of delay could result in several meters of misjudgment. Therefore, rather than optimizing isolated components, we take a holistic approach, performing system-level co-optimization across chips, foundational software, application software, and algorithm architecture, while streamlining data flow paths. As a result, we achieve an end-to-end latency—from camera input to display output—of less than 50 milliseconds, placing us at the industry-leading level.
To address lens contamination caused by rain, mud, dust, insects, or frost, we have introduced ultrasonic self-cleaning technology. When the system detects contamination, it activates high-frequency vibrations to rapidly remove foreign substances and restore lens clarity. This means our CMS does not just “see”—it ensures continuous, stable, and reliable visibility under complex environmental conditions. For a product targeting global markets, such all-weather adaptability is a crucial foundational capability.
3. Let’s broaden our perspective globally. As a global enterprise, we pay close attention to how excellent technological solutions can be successfully deployed worldwide. How do you view the opportunities for CMS in the global market? Where will Hirain focus its globalization efforts?
We believe CMS holds tremendous potential in global markets. However, globalization is not simply about selling products overseas—it means truly establishing roots in each market by meeting local regulations, quality standards, and user expectations. This requires two key capabilities: first, technological differentiation—such as our fully independent optical design, AI-enabling technologies, AI ISP, ultra-low latency, and self-cleaning functions—which together create hard-to-replicate product advantages; and second, international deployment capabilities, including engineering excellence, global quality systems, and localized support responsiveness.
Our goal is to develop a CMS product that possesses both global technological competitiveness and global delivery capability.
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4. Hirain has been deeply involved in the AR-HUD domain for many years, witnessing the evolution of AR-HUD from a simple information display terminal into a core spatial interaction hub in smart vehicles. In your opinion, what technological breakthroughs are key to enhancing immersive interactive experiences in AR-HUD?
To achieve this goal, we have developed cutting-edge products such as transparent P-HUD and 3D-HUD. We believe continuous focal-plane 3D AR-HUD technology is one of the key breakthroughs for improving immersion. Currently, most mass-produced AR-HUD systems project all virtual images onto a single fixed focal plane (typically 7–10 meters away). This forces drivers to constantly refocus their eyes between the real-world scene and the HUD image, leading to visual fatigue. More fundamentally, single-plane HUDs compress spatially layered information into one flat plane, causing misalignment between virtual and real elements. This prevents precise registration with the continuous depth of the real world, severely limiting the immersive experience.
To solve this challenge, HiRain has launched a fully self-developed 3D-HUD solution. By leveraging lenticular lens array imaging and eye-tracking technology, we establish binocular stereoscopic vision, dynamically projecting three-dimensional virtual images with genuine depth and spatial perception directly into the driver’s field of view. User interface elements can be anchored at any spatial position between 4m and 40m ahead, enabling accurate real-scene fusion, completely eliminating visual refocusing effort, significantly improving information recognition efficiency, and redefining immersive interaction paradigms in intelligent cockpits.
5. As artificial intelligence (AI) and multimodal interaction become more deeply integrated into intelligent cabins, how do you envision the future development of AR-HUD?
The deep integration of artificial intelligence and multimodal interaction is transforming AR-HUD from a passive information display window into an active, context-aware service provider.
At the interaction level, integrating in-vehicle voice, gaze tracking, and gesture recognition enables precise alignment between visual focus and command control, greatly enhancing the intuitiveness of driver perception and operation.
At the content presentation level, generative AI will shift rendering from traditional predefined templates to real-time contextual rendering. The system can dynamically adjust visual styles based on road conditions, weather, and even the driver’s physiological state—for example, enhancing lane boundary outlines in poor weather or intensifying alert animations when driver fatigue is detected—delivering highly personalized visual assistance.
At the service ecosystem level, powered by context awareness and user profiling, AI can precisely overlay points of interest (POIs) onto physical space within the driver’s view—such as dynamically highlighting available parking spots, charging stations, or recommended destinations—providing intuitive, three-dimensional visualization of POI information directly in the driver’s line of sight.
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