Next-generation spatial awareness in automotive applications
Summary
In good weather, it can deliver high resolution over a long distance, but this is curtailed in conditions such as heavy rain or thick fog that scatter the lidar beam. Radar has evolved from the early incarnations, with modern technologies such as Texas Instruments’mmWave sensors offering spatial and velocity resolution that are three times that of traditional solutions. While they too are affected by weather and challenging high-dynamic scenes such as sunsets and oncoming headlights, the latest automotive image solutions feature incredible sensitivity with up to and beyond 140dB of HDR capability. This ensures that both the dark and light sections of a scene are accurately captured, allowing the control systems to correctly interpret the road ahead, distinguish pedestrians and vehicles from the surroundings, and act if needed. Earlier in 2023, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a proposal that would make pedestrian detection and AEB a mandatory feature on passenger cars and light trucks.