🚸Now Playing: The Invisible Pedestrian 🚸
A new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS 127) mandates that by 2029, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) must be implemented in all light vehicles (under 10,000 lbs) and they must pass specific tests to be deemed roadworthy. These tests focus on avoiding vulnerable road users (VRUs), including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Similarly, Europe’s New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) emphasizes the need to enhance Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for real-world scenarios. These real-world conditions tests cannot be passed without the next generation of imaging radar technology.
So why do current radar systems struggle to reliably detect VRUs?
VRUs typically generate weak radar signatures and are often stationary or slow-moving, making them difficult to distinguish from surrounding static objects. Additionally, VRUs are frequently situated near larger objects, such as trucks, which produce stronger radar signatures that can overshadow the weaker ones from VRUs. The ability to differentiate a VRU next to a strong reflector, like a child standing beside a truck, is measured by a metric known as “Contrast Resolution.”
Traditional analog radars face challenges in achieving High Contrast Resolution (HCR). Analog radars produce a broad signal response with side lobes, making it hard to differentiate between small and large targets that are close together. In contrast, Digital Code Modulation (DCM) radar uses a digital code waveform with special properties, generating a signal response with two distinct peaks—one large (e.g., the truck) and one small (e.g., the VRU)—clearly separating the two targets. This new digital modulation technology significantly enhances ADAS performance, particularly in complex urban environments.
#automotive #radar #ADAS #TrafficSafety #VehicleSafety #AutomotiveTechnology #ImagingRad #EuroNCAP