Ongoing developments in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are expanding the capabilities and affordability of vehicles that can alert and assist drivers using radar technology mostly focused over the 76-to-81 GHz spectrum. These systems must perform over a range of applications, operating conditions, and object-detection challenges in order to provide reliable coverage over the range (distance) and field of view (angle) as dictated by the particular driver assistance function.
This article examines some of the challenges behind developing millimeter-wave radar systems and the antenna-array technologies that will be responsible for the next generation of smart cars and trucks. Part 1 provides an overview of ADAS systems and discusses various radar systems and architectures. Part 2 discusses multi-beam and multi-range design and examines antenna design for multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) and beam-steering technologies for 5G that will be useful for automotive safety in the future.