Autonome Fahrzeuge

• Research unit: METAS
• Project number: F-5258.30095

Key words (English)

Autonomous Vehicles, Driver assistance systems, FMCW Radar, 77 GHz Technology, Laser scanner, LIDAR, Sensor, Simulation, Global navigation satellite system

Short description (English)

The automotive industry is nowadays highly focused in the development of autonomous ve-hicles (AVs). The development goes step-by-step parallel with the driver assistance systems, which increase constantly and become more and more sophisticated. From the initial well-known ABS technology, there is already a large variety of systems in operation, covering collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, automatic parking, and lane change assistant, just to mention a few. All these systems increasingly require increasingly sensors able to detect the environment with a high precision and sample rate. The sensors cover mainly optical solutions including cameras and laser scanners (LIDAR), radar based sensors, global positioning sensors (GPS). FMCW Radars (Frequency Modulated Continuous Radar) in the frequency range between 75 GHz and 82 GHz together with LIDAR sensors appear to become the most frequently used sensors.

Goal of this project is the development of test and calibration methods adapted to identify the characteristic of FMCW and LIDAR sensors used in AVs application. In particular, simulation units should be developed in order to enable all variety of test scenarios being independent of real road conditions, thus increasing the repeatability, reliability, test frequency at lower costs and risks.

Project aims (English)

The aim of this project is to develop examination and test methods for sensors of both 77 GHz Radar and Lidar (Laser scanner) technologies.

For the 77 GHz radar technology, a laboratory measurement set-up will be developed, including in the software automatic measurement functions based on existing measurement systems for speed enforcement radar systems. The mechanical design will initially be simplified (no motorized movement according to the angle of approach in case of moving objects).

For the Lidar technology, the infrastructure of the existing measurement systems for the Laser scanners 180° will be used. A new laboratory measurement set-up will be developed for the Laser scanners 360°, this based on the existing laboratory system for distance measurements.

Basic functions such as radar or laser beam characterization and linearity of distance and speed measurement of simple objects will be implemented.

At the end of this project,  an evaluation will be carried out to define future projects to achieve the final vision.

This vision is the development of test methods for driver assistance systems and the calibration methods in order to find solutions for the testing of these sensors by the vehicle roadworthiness centers.