Rethinking ADAS materials

New specialized thermoplastics offer greater design freedom to improve sensor performance and packaging, at reduced cost.

Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technologies-including automatic emergency braking, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control and parking assist-are quickly going mainstream. OEMs, regulators and consumers recognize their value in improving driving and preventing accidents. As a global market, ADAS is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.0% through 2025, according to Grand View Research.

The current ADAS sensor suite also is evolving rapidly to respond to market demand for improved performance, more efficient packaging, and lower costs. For example, engineers are exploring the integration of different sensors into a single unit, as well as “fusing” the radar and camera data into a single output to overcome limitations of the individual technologies and provide safety redundancy. Miniaturization of sensor hardware is aimed at reducing its “footprint” at the expense of potentially generating more heat.