The increasing demand for reliable Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies necessitates the precise validation of automotive radar sensors. Traditional on-road testing, while effective, presents challenges such as limited repeatability, high costs, and safety concerns. To address these limitations, this paper introduces an Over-the-Air (OTA) Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) methodology for radar characterization, providing a controlled and repeatable lab-based validation approach.
This methodology enables dynamic testing of key radar parameters, including range estimation, angle of arrival measurement, Doppler velocity analysis, and object detection accuracy. The proposed setup supports diverse testing scenarios, such as variable target distances, relative speeds, multiple object simulation, and environmental effects, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of radar behaviour under complex and safety-critical conditions. Through OTA testing, developers can simulate edge cases, inject faults, and validate compliance with industry standards without the need for physical test tracks or targets.
By leveraging repeatability and automation, OTA HIL testing significantly reduces development time and costs while enhancing test coverage and confidence in radar sensor performance. This paper details the system architecture, test strategies, and experimental outcomes, demonstrating the critical role of OTA HIL in advancing automotive radar validation workflows and ensuring reliable ADAS and autonomous driving functionalities.