Camera-Integrated Cluster Solutions Powered by Sparklet
Overview
With the automotive industry embracing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), the integration of camera feeds into digital clusters has become a key requirement. A leading Tier-1 automotive supplier approached Embien Technologies to develop a hybrid instrument cluster with camera integration, targeting a high-performance RH850-based platform.
Challenge
The challenge was to deliver a seamless user experience with live video rendering alongside real-time cluster graphics, all within the strict resource constraints of a microcontroller environment.
The RH850 series MCU from Renesas offers powerful real-time performance and low-power operation but comes with limited graphics acceleration capabilities. The goal was to efficiently integrate live camera input - such as rear-view or surround-view feeds - into the cluster UI, while also maintaining the responsiveness of traditional gauge elements, warning indicators, and animations.
Solution
To meet this requirement, Embien deployed Sparklet, its ultra-lightweight graphics engine specifically optimized for embedded platforms like RH850. Sparklet was adapted to work in parallel with the camera processing pipeline, ensuring that display buffers could be dynamically composed with both video frames and vector graphics. This allowed live camera feeds to be seamlessly overlaid with graphical elements such as parking guides, status icons, and notifications - enhancing driver awareness without performance degradation.
The UI design was crafted using Flint, Embien’s visual UI editor, which provided pixel-perfect layout control and resource-efficient asset generation. The final layout included dynamic transitions between driving modes, camera-assisted views triggered by gear shifts or turn indicators, and real-time alerts overlaid on live video—all implemented within Sparklet’s compact rendering pipeline.
Extensive testing on the RH850 hardware platform confirmed consistent and flicker-free rendering, even with continuous video stream integration. Sparklet’s ability to minimize redraw regions and handle layered compositions helped maintain real-time performance and low CPU utilization. The final solution delivered a robust, camera-aware digital cluster experience that met stringent automotive safety and quality standards.
Conclusion
By leveraging Sparklet on RH850, Embien enabled the Tier-1 supplier to offer an innovative, cost-effective alternative to fully-fledged GPU-based systems - bringing high-end functionality to mid-range vehicle platforms. The solution is currently being deployed in multiple 2-wheeler and compact 4-wheeler models across Asia.