Vehicle Radar

Vehicle Radar

The Vehicle Radar segment, driven mainly by radar sensors in systems for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD), is the segment where Gapwaves sees the greatest interest from the market. The segment is expected to grow drastically to an estimated 275 million units in 2028, with three or more radars per car, according to Yole Market Report 2022.

ADAS encompasses the more traditional suppliers to the automotive industry (Tier 1 suppliers), who, at present, mainly supply radars for warning and advanced driver assistance corresponding to SAE* level 0-2 of automated driving capability (please see illustration of the different levels of automated driving ability).

*SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers). An organization that develops standards for the automotive industry among others.

Alongside the traditional automotive industry, a new market segment has evolved for autonomous vehicles relating to applications, such as self-driving trucks and industry vehicles, vehicles for goods transportation, robotic vehicles, etc. The market segment is at large driven by new, innovative companies and large tech companies developing systems and services for fully autonomous vehicles that correspond to SAE levels 3-5 of automated driving.

This market segment has great potential and is moving faster than the passenger car market segment, with a high demand for ready-made, high-performance radar sensors. Through the investment in Sensrad, whose radar sensors include Gapwaves’ antennas, we can claim a stronger position in this market segment. The value added by Gapwaves’ antennas is confirmed by Sensrad’s business with world-leading players.

An imaging radar is a high-resolution radar generating images of its surroundings with up to 10x higher resolution compared to traditional radar, detecting objects up to 350 meters away. It can be positioned in the front of the vehicle and represents, together with lidar, the most advanced, high-tech sensors in autonomous vehicles and is a vital component in an autonomous system SAE level 3-5. Gapwaves’ antenna solution meets the high-performance requirements set by an imaging radar, with low losses, and are seeing an increased demand from the market, with global customers including Bosch.

Automotive radar forecast (million units)

Automotive radar forecast (million units)

Driving forces

The demand for high-performance and cost-effective antennas and radar sensors have increased, at large driven by legal requirements, regulatory frameworks, and advancements within autonomous driving, expanding the market opportunities for Gapwaves technology.

As of 2022, 76-81 GHz is the only approved frequency band for vehicle radars, completely removing the broadband spectrum of the previously standardized frequency band of 24 GHz. The shift in the global standard for vehicle radar has led to the automotive industry placing higher demands on the radar’s performance, covering the entire frequency band of 76-81 GHz. A requirement traditional printed circuit board-based (PCB) antenna technology does not fully meet.

In addition, the EU has introduced legal requirements that all newly manufactured cars (from 2022 onwards) must be equipped with automatic emergency braking systems (AEB). Ratings from organizations like Euro NCAP** on AEB and selected ADAS functions are highly valued by vehicle manufacturers. Both EU regulations and Euro NCAP’s test catalogue require vehicles to be equipped with multiple sensors, meaning sensors of various types, including radar and cameras, that can detect small objects such as animals, cyclists and pedestrians.

In the past, radar within the automotive industry has mainly been used in premium cars, for example adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning, but the new regulatory frameworks mean that at least one radar is now standard in the vast majority of newly manufactured cars. Premium cars are expected to have five, or even seven, radars in their sensor suite, further increasing the demand.

As the level of autonomous driving capability increases, a greater number of high-performance sensors are required. To achieve full and functional safety, multiple cooperating sensors are required, forming a system consisting of several cameras, lidars, and radars. The most prominent advantage of radar is that, unlike cameras and lidar, it can maintain high performance in most weather conditions. Despite snow, fog, dust or dirt, it can detect and classify other vehicles, as well as the most vulnerable in traffic, such as pedestrians and cyclists.

Read more in our Annual Report