Digital radar provides improved sensing critical for safety in ADAS

Uhnder will be mass producing a fully automotive qualified, 4D digital imaging radar-on-chip that will transform roadways, making possible next-generation ADAS, AVs, and automated mobility applications.

"Uhnder's 4D digital imaging radar-on-chip is a next-generation product that demonstrates new ways to advance automotive safety to save lives," said Douglas Campbell, president, Automotive Safety Council. "Fatalities of vulnerable road users are now 20% of all roadway deaths in the US and even more in developing countries. ADAS technologies, such as pedestrian automatic emergency braking (P-AEB) that can reliably operate at night, can help reduce pedestrian fatalities per the latest report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Improved high-resolution perception sensors, such as Uhnder's radar-on-chip, can potentially help reduce this rising fatality category."

The company's technology provides the industry’s first digital radar solution with better accuracy and the power to sense moving or standing objects, large or small, at short and long distances in all-weather and lighting conditions, all while mitigating mutual interference between other radars. Its digital radar can clearly identify a pedestrian crossing the road, a child entering the street from beside a parked car, or a cyclist next to a guard rail, at levels of accuracy that legacy analog radar systems are not able to achieve.

“Digital radar provides 16 times better resolution, 24 times more power on target, and 30 times better contrast than today’s analog offerings, improving detection capabilities for better road safety for all users – drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians,” said Manju Hegde, CEO and cofounder, Uhnder, Inc. “As more and more radars are fitted onto vehicles and other mobility solutions, interference among adjacent radar becomes problematic. Our radar, based on Digital Code Modulation, mitigates this problem.”

The company is releasing its S80 radar-on-chip to mass production in April 2022. The device will be the first 4D digital imaging radar solution and will have completed stringent automotive requirements including Automotive Electronics Council (AEC) Q104 qualification; ISO 26262 Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL-B) rating ; and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) with its first Tier 1 automotive customer, Magna.

“Uhnder is a leader in digital imaging radar and a trusted partner in bringing the best innovations forward,” said Swamy Kotagiri, CEO, Magna International. “I am excited with the progress made over the years and ready for the entire ecosystem to experience what we already know to be true – that digital radar is fundamental for next-generation ADAS.”