The Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC platform, is being used by Continental in their new Advanced Radar Sensor 540 (ARS540) module to create the automotive industry’s first production-ready 4D imaging radar. This collaboration enables newly-produced vehicles equipped with the ARS540 to realize SAE J3016 Level 2 functionalities and will pave the way towards Level 5 autonomous driving systems.
4D imaging radar determines an object’s location in range, azimuth, elevation, and relative speed to provide detailed information about the driving environment not provided by earlier automotive radar systems that capture only speed and azimuth. Continental’s ARS540 is a premium, long-range 4D imaging radar with high resolution and 300-meter range. Its wide, ± 60° field-of-view enables multi-hypothesis tracking for precise prediction while driving, which is critical for managing complex driving scenarios, such as the detection of a traffic jam under a bridge. In addition, the ARS540 system’s high horizontal and vertical resolution enables the detection of potentially hazardous objects on the road and responds appropriately. By supporting SAE Level 2 where the human driver is responsible for supervising vehicle control, and extending to fully autonomous Level 5, the ARS540 showcases the scalable usage of the sensor.
Norbert Hammerschmidt, head of program management radar at Continental said that the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC platform delivers the high performance and advanced DSP capabilities needed to realize the ARS540, combined with adaptability and a market-leading selection of network interfaces capable of handling the wide array of antenna data at extremely high aggregate transfer rates. The Xilinx Automotive (XA) Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC is an adaptable platform that allows Continental’s 4D imaging radar to be agnostic to multiple sensor-platform configurations and adapt to OEM specification. Parallel processing within the device’s programmable logic delivers optimal performance and enables the fully independent, yet simultaneous processing pipelines that are critical to the ARS540’s 4D sensing. The many digital signal processing (DSP) slices enable hardware acceleration of real-time radar sensor inputs.
Cédric Malaquin, Technology & market analyst, RF Devices & Technology at Yole Développement (Yole) said that 4D imaging radars provide better range, field of view, and perception and is a critical sensor for enabling Level 2 to Level 5 developers to deliver systems that help create a safer driving environment. They expect 4D imaging radars to be used in luxury cars and Robotaxis at first, leading to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 124% between 2020 and 2025.
