Automotive Radar Development and Testing
Why Automotive Radar Sensors?
Radar technology is the future of perception and ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems). With the development of autonomous cars and a rise in SAE levels of autonomy, there is more need for both in-cabin and exterior sensing than ever.
The transition from 24 GHz to 60 GHz and 79 GHz band has brought about radical changes in mmWave radar parameters, allowing them to outperform camera or lidar systems in numerous scenarios.
Besides standalone use, automotive radars are ideal for sensor fusion, ensuring system redundancy and increased reliability.
mmWave Radar Advantages
- All-weather conditions (unaffected by rain, snow, fog, smoke, etc.)
- All-lighting conditions (bright sunlight, night, etc.)
- No cleaning or maintenance required (unaffected by dirt or mud)
- Small, can be discreetly placed under different materials
- Safe for humans and animals
- Temperature resistant
- Protecting passenger privacy (non-intrusive unlike cameras)
- On-sensor processing capabilities (no need for an ECU)
- Low power consumption
- Affordable cost
NOVELIC All-Weather Only Radar
We offer custom-made and ready-to-use radar sensor platforms and solutions for the automotive industry. Our vision is to develop pioneering ADAS and perception solutions that will save lives and provide an outstanding driver and passenger experience.
Our Approach:
- Holistic Automotive Radar Development
- Customizable Radar Applications
- Radar Testing and Integration
- Platform-Agnostic Solutions
- Innovative Patents and Industry Know-How
Why Choose NOVELIC
NOVELIC holds several patents for mmWave sensor systems, and our engineers leverage this proprietary knowledge to develop high-performance, state-of-the-art radar solutions.
NOVELIC
Automotive Radar Platforms
ACAM Interior Monitoring
In-cabin sensing is becoming a quality standard for new generations of vehicles. For instance, Euro NCAP will reward manufacturers who offer child presence detection solutions in their vehicles, starting from 2025.
ACAM (Automotive In-cabin Monitoring) is a smart contactless sensor for detection and classification of living beings inside a vehicle. Radar technology enables in-cabin monitoring without invading passenger privacy. ACAM sensor can be equipped with different signal processing software packages to cover a custom selection of in-cabin applications.
ACAM Platform Applications:
- Child presence detection – detects when a child is left unattended in a parked car, in up to 7 seconds
- Seat occupancy detection – detects the number of seats occupied by humans (baby, child, or adult) and differentiates between living beings and objects
- Intrusion detection – detects unauthorized vehicle access attempts
- Respiration rate monitoring – calculates respiratory rate of each and every passenger, unaffected by obstacles such as thick clothes or blankets
- Life presence detection – real-time detection of humans and pets in the vehicle, ensuring various safety and comfort features
NOVELIC Interior Monitoring Platform Features
AGERA Gesture Control
Automotive gesture control solutions enable drivers and passengers to interact with the vehicle by issuing commands through body gestures. Contactless control reduces the risk of accidents caused by distracted driving.
AGERA (Automotive Gesture Radar) is an advanced automotive mmWave radar solution that enables contactless control by detecting and interpreting predefined body gestures both in-cabin and around the vehicle. Data is processed within the sensor module, so there is no need for a dedicated ECU. The power-saving mode saves battery when the car is parked for a long time.
AGERA Platform Applications:
- Kick sensor – hands-free tailgate opening function
- Door and tailgate collision avoidance – detecting nearby obstacles to prevent collision
- In-cabin gesture detection – detecting custom gestures/gesture sequences for contactless control of the sunroof, windows, doors, infotainment, etc.
ASPER Exterior Short-Range Sensing
ASPER is a mmWave radar solution providing advanced sensing for different types of vehicles for transportation, agriculture, and construction, as well as AGVs.
ASPER can be used as a rear and side radar for transportation vehicles, front and side radar for mining, construction, and agriculture machines, 360-degree collision avoidance and navigation for AGVs, and as a rear warning radar for e-bikes, motorcycles, and 3-wheelers.
ASPER Applications:
- Rear and side radar for transportation vehicles
- Front/side radars for mining, construction, and agriculture machines
- 360° collision avoidance and navigation for AGVs
- Rear warning radar for e-bikes, motorcycles, and 3-wheelers
ASPER Rear Radar for Transportation Vehicles
Imaging Radar Platforms
Imaging radars are the basis for cutting-edge automotive sensing solutions with high-resolution visualization of the vehicle’s surroundings.
NOVELIC offers a highly programmable and configurable platform for ultra-high throughput of raw data streams from imaging radars. We provide full support in all aspects of specification, design, and development for modular imaging radar platforms with a variable number of transceivers. Our engineering teams have expertise in developing state-of-the-art RF boards and antenna design architecture.
Automotive Radar Development –
Project Roadmap
We deliver custom-made automotive radar solutions built upon NOVELIC platforms, leveraging our engineering competencies to develop a product from concept to industrialization.
Automotive Radar Software
Development
NOVELIC provides automotive radar software development and testing and offers supporting services throughout the SDLC (software development lifecycle). Our software solutions are compliant with automotive industry standards.
Automotive Radar Software Development Services
- Radar software development, testing, and validation
- MISRA-C support (guideline implementation, toolchain optimization, code compliance adaptation)
- AUTOSAR support (ECU basic module development, MCAL layer development, platform migration support)
- Communication protocol support development (CAN, Lin, FlexRay)
- ISO 26262 functional safety support for unit and module testing
- AI-based automotive radar annotation solutions
- Development of machine learning models for object classification optimization
- Algorithm development (machine learning and traditional)
- Radar signal processing
NISSAR – NOVELIC Custom Radar Software Platform
Radar DSP Function Library
NISSAR is a comprehensive library of radar DSP functions enabling rapid prototyping and development of radar solutions. The architecture provides continuous integration, testing framework, and code analysis capabilities aiming to improve code quality. We offer NISSAR as a platform for clients’ internal radar projects, or as part of our full-scope radar development.
NISSAR Platform Benefits:
- Faster SDLC and TTM (time-to-market)
- AUTOSAR compliance on request
- Platform-agnostic after minor modifications
- Architecture portable to various modern radar processing platforms
NISSAR Radar Controller Software
Automotive Radar Hardware
Development
NOVELIC holds IP rights for high-gain mmWave planar antenna structures featuring planar feed and high-tolerance robustness. We utilize this knowledge to develop high-performance radar systems and offer development support for every phase of the process.
NOVELIC 79 GHz Sensor with Advanced Antenna Design
Automotive Radar Hardware Development Services
- Full-scope hardware development for 24, 60, and 79 GHz radars
- Custom antenna design with up to 30 dBi gain depending on frequency band
- Radar module development and integration
- Hardware testing with field testing capabilities
- Radar characterization
- Functional, electrical, and environmental hardware validation
- FMEA services (high-level and low-level design)
- EMC validation (setup design, measurement, reporting, and debugging)
- Diverse supporting services (PCB design, schematic design, derating analysis, conformance testing, compliance matrix, component management, hardware/software integration, etc.)
- ISO-9001/IATF 16949 compliant documentation
Radar Development
Case Study: Truck Coupling Guidance & Jackknifing Protection
Exterior 79 GHz Radar for Road Equipment
Development, validation, and industrialization of an exterior FMCW MIMO radar for a road equipment OEM. This was a 40-month APQP-compliant process covering requirements, planning, A and B sample development, design validation with field testing, process development, and validation.
- OTA software update via CAN
- SAE J1939 standard conformance
- Ingress protection IP69
- Signaling rate <100 ms
mmWave radar is an unparalleled choice of sensor technology for safety and comfort in the transport industry, offering reliable information on the vehicle surroundings even in the harshest environments. Recently, NOVELIC helped VBG Coupling Systems develop a revolutionary product called Driver Assist, that provides jackknifing warning and coupling guidance for truck drivers.
Key benefits of Driver Assist:
- Saves time – the driver doesn’t have to leave the truck cab because the sensor detects the position of the drawbar and guides them
- Increases safety – reduces the risk of jackknifing and accidents
- Reduces repair costs – prevents accidents that can damage the vehicle
Brief Overview
One-stop-shop Automotive Radar Development
Highly Customizable Solutions
Vast Automotive Knowledge
