Wideband Multi-Service Automotive Antenna Conformed to a Curved Surface

Vehicles produced in decades past were fitted with very few antennas. In most cases only an AM or FM antenna was required. In contrast to this, today's vehicles are fitted with a plethora of antennas to receive a wide variety of signals at a number of different frequencies. This work presents a wideband radiating structure capable of sending and receiving many of the signals required in a modern vehicle from a single device. The antenna is based on Planar Inverted Cone Antenna geometry. The effect of bending or curving the antenna substrate is investigated at values in the range that may be required for vehicular integration.