The Navigator

Radar is nothing new to the automotive industry. Vehicles have been equipped with radar for adaptive cruise control (ACC) since the 1990s and many current models have as many as five radar sensors. Although radar is a great way to measure the distance and closing speed to other vehicles, current-generation sensors offer woefully low resolution. That's why imaging radar is set to come on strong over the next several years.

Imaging radar, also referred to as high-definition or high-resolution radar, is designed to bridge some of the gap between current-generation radar and lidar - while retaining the traditional advantages of the radio frequency-based sensors. Like lidar, radar is an active sensor that emits a signal and listens for reflections. Since the sensor is the source and the speed of the signal is known, the distance to the reflecting object can be precisely measured. Radar signals also are unbothered by fog, rain, snow or adverse lighting conditions.