RF Devices technology
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utomobiles come with Penetration into the far larger hampered the up take of automotive
more safety features mainstream market has been slow, radar, because it has left car
than ever before. Cars are now due to a lack of cooperation within manufacturers with the dilemma of
equipped with additional impact bars the automotive industry. According to whether it is the right decision to
that increase passenger safety when Anwar, chipmakers were put under deploy this technology before the
the vehicle is rammed from the side, pressure to cut prices, in return they ban comes into force. This
and air bags that reduced the extent demanded commitments to high uncertainty aids the producers of
of injuries caused by a head-on volume orders, and it took a long alternative technologies, such as
collision. However, radar based time for the two sides to strike a those based on cameras or lasers
technologies that can prevent deal. But Volvo’s recent promotion of that can take market share from
crashes from happening are only just the benefits of automotive radar automotive radar manufacturers.
starting to take off. Until very recently, suggests that widespread
these systems that are based on a deployment of this technology into Despite all these problems, Anwar
set of GaAs chips were only seen in mid-price cars is happening now. predicts that automotive radar
luxury cars. shipments are set to grow
Over the last few years, automotive substantially, and sales of GaAs
The lack of penetration into mid and radar sales have also been hampered MMICs will increase from $54 million
low-priced cars is not because by a European Union ruling that will in 2008 to more than $130 million by
automotive radar is a new technology ban deployment of the 24 GHz 2013. Many of these sales will be
- it made its commercial debut in top- variant in 2013. This move is to shared between the two leading
flight Mercedes-Benz models more benefit radio astronomers, because chipmakers of this technology,
than 10 years ago, where it offered signals produced from this form of TriQuint and United Monolithic
an advantage over automotive cruise radar - which emits over a wide band Semiconductors. However, WIN
control. Radar detected any changes centered on 24 GHz - interfere with Semiconductors could also benefit,
to the distance of the vehicle infront, those that they are trying to detect. because this foundry offers suitable
and adjusted the speed of the car processes for the manufacture of
automatically. Automotive radar Cars fitted with the 24 GHz variant automotive radar chips. And Hittite
systems have evolved in the of automotive radar are able to also operates in this market, following
intervening years, and they now maintain an appropriate distance to its purchase of this product line from
increase driver safety. Today’s drivers the vehicle in front at relatively slow Northrop Grumman. “RF Micro
receive flashes or audible warnings speeds in dense traffic. The 77 GHz Devices also have the process
to make them aware of other vehicles narrow band cousin performs a technologies, since the acquisition of
nearby, and if they fail to react, a similar function at higher speeds in Filtronic,” adds Anwar, “so that’s
sequence of seatbelt tightening and situations where there is less traffic, something to keep an eye on.”
harder and harder breaking brings such as on a motorway. However,
the car to a stop. efforts are now underway to develop TriQuint’s automotive design effort is
a wideband radar technology based in Dallas, Texas, and
The capability of modern automotive replacement for the 24 GHz originated from the acquisition of
radar clearly makes it very attractive. technology, which will operate over a Infineon’s GaAs business unit at the
However, expectations of significant band centered on 79 GHz. beginning of this decade. The first
commercial success have failed to Outlawing 24 GHz radar has 77GHz GaAs MMICs designed with a
materialize for several years due to
three factors, says Asif Anwar,
director of the GaAs and compound
semiconductors technologies
program at Strategy Analytics: a slow
migration of automotive radar from
luxury cars to mid-range models; a
European outlawing of one of the
frequency bands used for this
technology in 2013; and competition
with alternative technologies.
European
Up until recently, automotive radar luxury car
was only fitted as standard in some manufactures
models of the Mercedes-Benz S such as BMW
class, the BMW 7 Series, and the have pioneered
Lexus 430. “You also had the the deployment
migration into lesser models, such as of automotive
from an S class to an E class, as an radar.
optional extra,” explains Anwar. CREDIT: BMW
October 2009 www.compoundsemiconductor.net 17
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