A major stumbling block in the development of automotive radar systems, is the problem of target discrimination, the need to distinguish among targets. This capability is required before a radar system can determine whether a target is sufficiently hazardous to require that action be taken. Discrimination is generally accomplished through target signature analysis.
This paper is concerned with the makeup of a radar signature and how its various components may be used to accomplish target discrimination, based on information derivable from radar signals. For example, target trajectory information in a radar signal can be useful in determining whether the object presents a possible safety hazard. Following this initial screening, the radar signal can be further processed in order to produce target identification and/or degree of hazard information.
Depending on the type of radar system operation, e.g., continuous wave (CW) or pulsed, different types and amounts of information can be derived regarding a target. This paper reviews the most promising current techniques which will possibly provide target discrimination, as well as some techniques presently under development.