What Sony Depthsensing Solutions does

Sony Depthsensing Solutions is a Brussels-based provider of 3D vision and gesture recognition technology, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation within the Sony Semiconductor Solutions Group. The company originated as SoftKinetic, a Belgian startup founded in 2007 focused on software development kits and middleware, which merged with time-of-flight camera developer Optrima in 2011 and was acquired by Sony in 2015. It serves four vertical markets—automotive, mobile devices, industrial automation, and smart living—supplying the underlying sensing that enables machines to map surroundings, objects, and people in 3D.

The core technology is Time-of-Flight (ToF) 3D sensing built on Sony CMOS image sensors with proprietary pixel structures, packaged as the Depthsense platform combining hardware and middleware. Hardware includes the IMX479 stacked dToF SPAD depth sensor for automotive LiDAR (up to 300m range, 20fps, 37% photon detection efficiency) and the IMX775 RGB-IR image sensor (industry-smallest 2.1µm pixel with high 940nm NIR sensitivity). The middleware suite comprises ICMlib (in-cabin monitoring, including the WIOTS seat-occupancy algorithm, face authentication, and Out-of-Position detection), CARlib (in-vehicle gesture control), and HTlib (multi-user full-body tracking for smart living). A significant portion of automotive positioning targets regulatory-driven demand, explicitly supporting EuroNCAP 2026 and 2029 occupant-monitoring requirements.

The business monetizes through hardware sales of image and depth sensors, licensing/royalties on proprietary middleware, and integrated automotive sensing solutions sold directly to OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales, working closely with automotive OEMs, Tier-1s, mobile device manufacturers, and industrial automation companies, and leveraging Sony Semiconductor Solutions' global distribution for sensor components. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through direct enterprise engagement. The company employs roughly 101–250 people across 30+ nationalities in Brussels, collaborates deeply with Sony teams in Europe and Japan, and maintains ISO 9001:2015 certification (held since 2019, re-certified March 2026).

Name

Sony Depthsensing Solutions

Legal name

Sony Depthsensing Solutions SA/NV

Website

https://sony-depthsensing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sony Depthsensing Solutions, a Brussels-based Sony subsidiary, develops Time-of-Flight 3D sensing hardware and middleware (ICMlib, CARlib, HTlib) for automotive, mobile, industrial, and smart living customers, primarily OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers requiring depth perception and gesture recognition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

3D Depth Sensing Technology

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Imaging Sensors (CMOS/CCD/ToF/Depth) (HDAHALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Driver Monitoring & Cabin Monitoring Hardware Manufacturing (IR Cameras/Sensors) (IMACAMAL), Active Safety Sensing Hardware Manufacturing (Radar/LiDAR/Cameras/Ultrasonic) (IMACAMAF), Occupant Detection & Classification Sensors Manufacturing (Seat Sensors/Weight Mats) (IMACAMAE), Machine Vision & Optical Sensing (Cameras, 3D vision, LiDAR, illumination) (IMAGAFAB)

Keywords

• Time-of-Flight sensors
• 3D depth sensing
• CMOS image sensors
• In-cabin monitoring
• Automotive LiDAR

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Image Sensors: Sale of CMOS Time-of-Flight image sensors, RGB-IR image sensors (IMX775), and SPAD depth sensors (IMX479) to automotive, mobile, and industrial customers.
2. Software and Middleware Licensing: Licensing of proprietary middleware including ICMlib, CARlib, HTlib, and Depthsense developer kits to mobile device manufacturers, automotive OEMs, and smart living solution providers.
3. Automotive Sensing Solutions: Integrated sensing solutions for automotive applications including LiDAR components, in-cabin monitoring systems, and gesture control systems sold directly to OEMs and Tier-1 partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sony Depthsensing Solutions designs, develops and sells Time-of-Flight (ToF) 3D depth sensing technology consisting of proprietary CMOS image sensors (including the IMX775 RGB-IR and IMX479 SPAD dToF sensors) bundled with middleware libraries—ICMlib for automotive in-cabin monitoring, CARlib for in-vehicle gesture control, and HTlib for full-body tracking. The company serves automotive, mobile, industrial automation, and smart living markets through direct enterprise sales and licensing.

Product overview

Sony Depthsensing Solutions offers a portfolio of Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensing technology centered on the Depthsense™ platform, comprising hardware components (CMOS ToF image sensors, cameras) and software middleware. The middleware suite includes ICMlib™ for in-cabin monitoring, CARlib™ for gesture control, and HTlib™ for full-body tracking. Key hardware products include the IMX479 SPAD depth sensor for automotive LiDAR and the IMX775 RGB-IR image sensor. These products serve the automotive, mobile, smart living, and industrial markets, addressing applications from driver monitoring and occupant detection to gesture-based interfaces and AR experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Depthsense™: The company's proprietary depth sensing technology brand that enables devices to see and understand the world around them, integrating advanced imaging components and hardware with middleware.
• CARlib™
• ICMlib™
• HTlib™

Products and services

• IMX775 RGB-IR Image Sensor RGB-IR image sensor with Sony's proprietary pixel structure achieving industry smallest pixel size of 2.1 µm and highest NIR sensitivity at 940nm wavelength simultaneously, designed for in-cabin monitoring and mobile applications such as face authentication and environment perception.
• IMX479 SPAD Depth Sensor Stacked direct Time of Flight (dToF) SPAD depth sensor designed for automotive LiDAR applications. Features up to 20fps frame rate, 520 dToF pixels, 250m precise 3D object detection (up to 300m range), and 37% photon detection efficiency for ADAS and Level 3+ automated driving.
• Depthsense™ Platform The core Time-of-Flight technology platform that enables devices to see and understand the world around them, integrating advanced imaging components and hardware with middleware for 3D sensing applications.
• ICMlib™ (In-Cabin Monitoring Library) In-Cabin Monitoring middleware offering occupancy monitoring, WIOTS (What Is On The Seat) algorithm for detecting occupant size and position, face authentication, and 'Out of Position' detection for automotive safety applications supporting EuroNCAP 2026 and 2029.
• CARlib™ Gesture Control Software Gesture control middleware enabling drivers to use intuitive gestures (finger flicks, circling, pointing, swiping) to control in-vehicle infotainment, music, and phone apps while staying focused on driving, supporting multi-modal interaction in vehicles.
• HTlib™ Multi-User Full-Body Tracking Middleware Multi-user full-body tracking middleware that powers fitness, wellbeing, and smart home applications, enabling spatial and room scanning for smarter living and working environments.
• Depthsense™ Developer's Kit Developer toolkit containing everything needed for quick integration of Depthsense technology into mobile applications, enabling face ID, gesture control, eye-gaze tracking, and environment perception for AR and other applications on smartphones and tablets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 300m object detection range for automotive LiDAR applications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AnyversecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Anyverse serves as synthetic data partner for Sony Depthsensing Solutions. The partnership utilizes Anyverse's physics-based synthetic datasets alongside Sony's advanced sensor models to enhance development of in-cabin perception software. Activities focus on Driver State Monitoring, Occupant Monitoring, and Child Presence Detection systems, supporting NCAP requirements and real-world performance validation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Infineon Technologies: Supplies the REAL3 Time-of-Flight sensor family and PMD partnership-based ToF solutions targeting the same smartphone face-authentication, automotive in-cabin monitoring, and industrial use cases as Sony Depthsensing Solutions.
• STMicroelectronics: Offers Time-of-Flight sensors (e.g., VL53L series) for consumer, industrial, and automotive applications, and is a direct competitor in depth-sensing silicon for OEMs and Tier-1s.
• pmdtechnologies: Specialist 3D Time-of-Flight CMOS sensor vendor (integrated with Infineon) competing in the same mobile, automotive, and industrial depth-sensing design slots as Sony Depthsensing.
• ams-OSRAM: Provides CMOS-integrated ToF sensors and VCSEL illumination components for 3D sensing in mobile, automotive, and industrial markets, directly competing with Sony's IMX ToF sensor family.
• Texas Instruments: Offers Time-of-Flight and mmWave radar sensors for industrial automation, automotive, and electronics — overlapping with SDS on ToF and 3D perception for factory and in-cabin use cases.
• MicroVision: Develops MEMS-based LiDAR and 3D sensing solutions for automotive, industrial, and smart infrastructure, addressing the same ADAS and depth-perception design slots as SDS's IMX479 SPAD sensor.
• Intel RealSense: Sells depth cameras and vision modules (stereo and coded-light variants) used in robotics, industrial automation, and gesture recognition — overlapping with SDS's industrial and smart-living segments.
• Hesai Group: Volume automotive LiDAR supplier whose products compete with Sony's IMX479 SPAD-based LiDAR offering in the ADAS and L3+ automated driving market.

Emerging players

• Luminar Technologies: Long-range automotive LiDAR systems company targeting L3+ ADAS programs, competing for the same OEM design wins that SDS's SPAD depth sensor solution is positioned for.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Bosch: Tier-1 automotive supplier with broad in-cabin monitoring, radar, and camera portfolios that overlap with SDS's OMS, gesture control, and LiDAR product lines via direct OEM supply relationships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInbe.linkedin.com/company/sonydepthsensingsolutions
• Xx.com/softkinetic
• Facebookfacebook.com/SoftKinetic

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sony Depthsensing Solutions