Unlocking Radar Sensor Integration in Vehicle: Accelerated Product Development Harnessing Electromagnetic Simulation

Automotive radar plays a crucial role in object detection and tracking. While a standalone radar possesses ideal characteristics, integrating it within a vehicle introduces challenges. The presence of vehicle body, bumper, chassis, and cables in proximity influences the electromagnetic waves emitted by the radar, thereby impacting its performance. To address these challenges, electromagnetic simulations can guide early-stage design modifications. However, operating at very high frequencies around 77GHz and dealing with the large electrical size of complex structures demand specialized simulation techniques to optimize radar integration scenarios. Thus, the primary challenge lies in achieving an optimal balance between accuracy and computational resources/simulation time. This paper outlines the process of radar vehicle integration from an electromagnetic perspective and demonstrates the derivation of optimal solutions through RF simulation.