Wideye Showcases Sensor Innovations at IAA MOBILITY 2025

At IAA MOBILITY 2025, taking place in Munich from September 9 to 14, exhibitors from the automotive industry, bicycle manufacturers, tech companies, and startups will showcase the latest innovations shaping the future of mobility. One of the standout innovators in the field of autonomous driving is Wideye. As a fast-growing scale-up and part of the AGC Glass Group, Wideye focuses on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies. In the mobility market where needs are continuously evolving towards autonomous vehicles, the necessity to integrate in a reliable way high-performance sensors is increasingly important.

Since its creation in 2016, Wideye has made solving these challenges its specialty by offering integration solutions based on its unique glass. Transparent to near infra-red and with high optical quality, this unique glass is proving to be indispensable for the seamless installation of optical sensors such as LiDAR and camera modules.

Mobility is on everyone's lips these days, since it poses many and varied challenges. In the face of environmental, social, health and economic impacts, our mobility model is undergoing radical changes. Getting around better and differently would be the ideal mobility philosophy that meets our needs while reconciling respect for the environment, social equity, quality of life and economic efficiency. And yet for a long time now, the automotive industry has relied on the image of the car as an object of value and passion. But what role does the car play in today’s fast-changing society, where the focus is on global sustainability? Technology makes it possible to have vehicles that are connected, less polluting, more energy-efficient, more accessible and safer. Given this context, making our journeys safer is a major challenge, especially given the emergence of autonomous vehicles, one aim of which is to reduce the number of accidents on the roads while enhancing driving comfort. The car therefore has its rightful place in this global, interconnected and sustainable approach.

In a context where every car passenger deserves to be transported safety, the automotive sector and carmakers are aiming for ever greater safety capabilities and higher levels of automation, an approach also driven by the NCAP (New Car Assessment Programs), NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and GSR (General Safety Regulation).
To meet these challenges, the number of sensors per car continues to rise year on year. LiDAR units, cameras, radar units and more provide perception data. All of these sensors need to be well protected and must be able to operate efficiently in any weather conditions, day and night. Of course, it is possible to build a great many sensors into any given vehicle prototype, but for a commercial vehicle that an end user intends to buy, that would not be appealing, and this is where it gets complicated since seamless integration is critical.

As a result, sensor integration currently faces three main challenges.

The first challenge is performance. Maximising sensor performance is critically important when it comes to supporting the growing trend in autonomous vehicle functionality.

The second challenge is sensor functionality, which must be guaranteed under all conditions, including fog, rain and dirt. An integrated sensor module must be able to withstand harsh conditions throughout the vehicle’s lifetime and needs effective cleaning, while complying with OEM design requirements and engineering needs.

Lastly, since purchasing a car is emotional, the third challenge is design, a key driver when an individual is buying a vehicle. Designers and engineers seek to incorporate functionality, without compromising on aesthetics.

How can we integrate a large number of sensors in a car while delivering excellent performance, functionality and vehicle design? In order to develop smart, safe and robust ADAS/AD sensor integration that complies with stringent automotive requirements, Wideye portfolio includes three product lines covering multiple integration schemes in order to achieve 360° vision. No matter the desired location for integration, Wideye has the capability to implement it the best way.

The optical sensor cover, one of the first components in our portfolio, is a best in class optical cover glass that is fitted directly onto the LiDAR housing

Trim is the term for an optical cover used as additional 2D or 3D (bent/curved) protection on the car body, or directly mounted on the sensor itself, targeting seamless sensor integration in the B-pillar, fender, grille or roof.

The windshield was the first integration Wideye focused on, believing it to be the best location for a seamless design. The high, central position of the sensors behind the car's windshield or backlites provides a commanding vantage point, ideal for highway pilot and traffic jam pilot functions. Mounting sensors such as cameras and LiDAR units behind the glass car set leverages the existing cleaning solution and does not affect aesthetics.

It was in the autumn of 2023 that the first program entered mass production phase. At our Roccasecca plant (Italy), we manufactured the glass 'trim' that protects the integrated LiDAR on the roof of a top-of-the-range electric SUV from a major OEM. This car has already been seen on our roads since this year.

For its new vehicle, the car maker commissioned Wideye to develop a unique glass cover specially designed to integrate a LiDAR unit into the roofline. The glass cover will protect a LiDAR unit selected for this new model ensuring a sleak design.

Wideye leverages AGC's decades of expertise in the automotive sector to deliver an automotive-grade glass solution for the safe, reliable and stylish integration of the LiDAR sensor. The special infrared-transparent glass shields the sensor from stone impacts, while also providing active defogging and defrosting functions as well as enabling the easy elimination of rain and dirt. In short: Wideye’s unique and functional glass ensures excellent LiDAR performance and does so under all driving conditions. Naturally, the carmaker demanded the roof-mounted LiDAR unit be discreet and unobtrusive. Not a problem since Wideye's black glass blends in seamlessly with the overall aesthetic of the vehicle. The final result speaks for itself. An elegant and ingenious LiDAR integration on the vehicle - without compromising on safety, design or sensor performance.

In line with this strategy, Wideye has implemented a collaborative approach called “Wideye Design Studio” towards supporting customers in their sensor integration journey by offering an end-to-end development service. Accordingly, we have developed in-house expertise for managing LiDAR and camera integration programs from early development stage based on comprehensive R&D and close collaboration with sensor tech companies, ADAS Tier 1 suppliers and OEM customers.

With over a century of unique expertise in automotive glass solutions, our approach, driven by strong technological capabilities, is supported by an active strategy in patents and innovation.

Growing industry interest in optical sensor integrations has seen Wideye nominated for seven other business awards for mass production programs through our product portfolio including, LiDAR glass covers and trim for roofline-mounted LiDAR units. In addition, Wideye has lately signed several pre-developments focusing on Roof & Windshield integration with major OEMs.

“Wideye’s strategic path has been confirmed today, with various business awards established over the last few years related to our different product segments, and it’s a good sign to see that all the efforts invested in Wideye’s development over the last few years are now being translated into mass volume business. I’m very proud of the work of all our teams, which is now helping to confirm Wideye as a pioneering premium brand in glass sensor integration and its ability to secure global leadership” said Gaetan Friart, CEO of Wideye.

At IAA MOBILITY 2025 in Munich, visitors will get an up-close look at Wideye’s cutting-edge solutions for the seamless integration of optical sensors. Wideye will be hosted on the AGC Automotive Europe booth: hall A1, stand B10.