Advanced Methods For Analyzing Ultra Wide Automotive Radar Signals

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Automotive FMCW radars typically operate between 76 GHz and 77 GHz. In some countries, the frequency range between 77 GHz and 81 GHz has become available for automotive radar applications. The distance resolution of an FMCW radar is proportional to its signal bandwidth. Therefore, automotive radar manufacturers are already developing FMCW radars with bandwidths of several GHz to get the most out of the available frequency range. In addition to signal frequency and bandwidth, the signal linearity and chirp duration determine radar performance. It is therefore important to analyze automotive radar signal parameters such as chirp length, chirp rate, and frequency deviation.

This paper reviews different ways to overcome the challenges of RF measurements in the E band for ultra wide signals. It also looks at the demodulation and analysis of a wideband automotive radar signal and discusses the results and main performance parameters.