Compared with optical technologies such as 3D ToF and visual imaging, the millimeter-wave radar has a longer range and stronger penetration. It has certain advantages in mid- and long-distance and identification of moving objects, and the number of installations in the same application is relatively small. The improved millimeter wave can be suitable for a wide range of multi-point recognition applications.
The strong market development potential naturally attracts many auto parts suppliers and chip manufacturers to compete for the high ground. As a giant in the field of sensor chips, how does TI stand out?
According to TI's Micronet, TI's high-performance RFCMOS MMIC chips (AWR2243, AWR1243) and single-chip solutions (AWR1843, AWR1642) provide the most outstanding combination of output power and phase and noise control on the market, while having the most advanced The digital function module realizes fast and flexible chirps configuration and built-in FuSa monitoring, and does not require excessive participation and burden of the main control chip to complete these tasks.
More and more application scenarios require millimeter-wave sensors not only to have perception capabilities, but also to make real-time judgments on the local side while avoiding interference, which poses new requirements and challenges to the current millimeter-wave radar market. TI stated that TI millimeter wave sensors support 60Ghz frequency band products and 77Ghz frequency band products. Currently, 60Ghz frequency band products are mostly used in industrial frequency bands and automotive interior detection applications, such as member detection and driving in the cockpit. Sign detection. The 60Ghz frequency band inside the vehicle cabin detection application will not interfere with the 77Ghz vehicle radar signal.
TI's radar chip has a built-in HWA module, and the FFT engine in the HWA2.0 module has a signal pre-processing function for detecting the location of the interference source and weakening the impact of interference, making the two radars work in the same frequency band at the same time. Will not cause severe signal crosstalk with each other and affect performance.
The evolution from ADAS to high-level autonomous driving has promoted the growth of the millimeter-wave imaging radar market. However, the current industry is still in the popularization stage of ADAS. What challenges will the landing of high-level autonomous driving bring to the millimeter-wave imaging radar market in the future?
TI also stated that for higher levels of autonomous driving requirements, high-resolution imaging radar requires both the detection capability of long-range targets and a high angle resolution. For example, the system needs to be able to distinguish 250 meters away Two small cars traveling in the same direction and at the same speed in adjacent lanes, which requires the system to have a target detection capability of less than 1 degree of angular resolution; in another example, the system needs to be able to recognize the parking under the bridge 200 meters away Or a car in a tunnel, which requires the system to have an angular resolution of less than 1 degree in the vertical direction. These challenges require high-resolution imaging radar.
Looking ahead, TI believes that high-resolution imaging radar and lidar will coexist in the market and complement each other. For the low-level autonomous driving market (Level 0-3) with strong low-cost requirements, the application of millimeter-wave radar and camera systems will be more common, because the cost-effectiveness of the system is higher.