This may sound strange coming from the company that first introduced the forward-facing radar more than 20 years ago, but there is a strong case for OEMs to eliminate it from some vehicles.
Despite all the benefits that front radar has provided as a foundational element for ADAS systems, there are good reasons that it will not be missed when it can be avoided. Taking out the forward-facing radar can obviously save hardware cost and weight – not just the sensor itself, but also the brackets, wiring, power supplies and other overhead associated with the sensor. It simplifies packaging, freeing up the middle of the grille for more flexible styling and simpler thermal management. And it allows OEMs to maintain a more consistent architecture across their models, which reduces software development and integration costs.
Best of all, OEMs can achieve these results without compromising an inch on safety – in fact, they can actually improve safety by using alternative configurations that are much more effective than a single front radar and camera at addressing many of the intersection and turning scenarios included in Euro NCAP 2023 testing.
Two key ADAS technologies are fundamental to making this possible: advanced corner radars and sensor fusion. These software and hardware technologies have developed and matured since Aptiv introduced that first forward-facing radar all those years ago, achieving breakthrough levels of performance with the application of AI and machine learning. The catalyst for these technologies was the demand for Level 2+ hands-free and automated driving, which required systems that could deal with difficult corner cases – cases that a simple forward-facing radar and camera would struggle with or fail to handle altogether on their own.
Read our white paper to find out how using dual corner radars with sensor fusion and machine learning represents a compelling opportunity for OEMs looking for a cost-efficient and elegant solution to use across their various models.
