What you'll learn:
- Challenges in migrating radar sensors from R&D to production.
- Details of R&S's new radar target simulator.
- How the R&S RadEsT is designed to meet all testing needs.
The importance of radar systems in vehicles is on the rise, and developing an optimized solution can be challenging. Migrating automotive radar sensors from R&D to production can be a rough process.
Thus, a smooth transition is important to ensure that the production models meet the same high standards established during the R&D phase. Any issue of performance, reliability, and durability during the transition could compromise the functionality of the radar solution, posing a potential risk to vehicle occupants and other road users.
Designed to effectively address these test and measurement challenges, the R&S AREG-P from Rohde & Schwarz leverages the AREG800A radar target simulator and offers a highly versatile configuration and precision parameters. Its modular structure includes a base unit, up to three digital channels for independent generation of artificial objects, and has the capacity to connect up to three front ends to a single base unit.
The simulator's 5-GHz RF instantaneous bandwidth and analog IF output interfaces make it possible to measure the radar under test’s EIRP by incorporating a R&S NRP8S(N) diode power sensor and the bandwidth with an additional R&S FSV3007 signal and spectrum analyzer.
A variety of models are tailored for different needs and operational contexts in radar production application. These include the R&S AREG-P1 Radar Mini configuration and the R&S AREG-P2 Radar Golden configuration, which allows for parallel testing of two radars in two different chambers in production simultaneously with the same target simulator.
Furthermore, the Radar Pro configuration R&S AREG-P3 eliminates the need for azimuth sweeps, minimizing testing time in production, and the R&S AREG-P2+3, or the Radar Golden-Pro configuration, eliminates both the azimuth and the elevation sweeps to further reduce testing time.
AREG-P technology also uses the AREG target simulator as well as compact antenna test range (CATR) reflector technology, enabling tests of automotive radar sensors under far-field conditions with a minimal test-stand footprint. CATR has proven its effectiveness in testing 4D radars. The AREG-P and the CATR reflector provide a compact production testing solution for developing radars in the R&S ATS1500C chamber with the R&S AREG800A.
RadEsT Addresses Next-Gen Radar
To further drive the development of next-generation radar, pivotal for the evolution of ADAS and autonomous driving, the company launched the R&S RadEsT (Radar Essential Tester) automotive radar target simulator.
A very compact and versatile tool, it's designed to meet a wide array of testing needs during a radar sensor’s lifecycle, from lab-based functional testing to vehicle-level production checks. The Radar Essential Tester handles a variety of use cases, from system checks and debugging of radar module reference designs to software verification and functional tests.
The platform provides advanced testing capabilities for OEM end-of-line testing for radar alignment and calibration as well as functional check during production. It captures radar sensor signals, modifies them, and returns them as simulated radar targets.
The dynamic target simulation adapts quickly to simulate rapidly moving targets, crucial for qualifying autonomous-driving functions like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. It can be dynamically configured in real-time in terms of a distance, velocity/Doppler, and attenuation/RCS.
Among its features are 12 receive and 12 transmit patch antennas with different polarizations to enable targets to be simulated from any angular direction, and a built-in detection mechanism to adapt to different radar sensor polarizations.
Integrated analysis functionalities include the ability to directly measure indicators of radar sensor quality, such as equivalent isotopically radiated power (EIRP) and occupied bandwidth. The R&S RadEsT also has a self-check capability to monitor performance metrics, identify any discrepancies or drifts, and highlight any deviations or abnormalities in the measurement process.
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