Front and side radars may have different primary uses and drivers for their innovation, but together, they form a vital part of ADAS for autonomous vehicles. IDTechEx‘s report, “Automotive Radar Market 2025-2045: Robotaxis & Autonomous Cars“, showcases the latest radar developments and explores autonomy leveling up as a result, with Level 2+ asserting itself within the US and Europe’s autonomous vehicle markets.
Object detection in the vehicle’s path
The vehicle’s front radar is used for object detection, which plays a role in the adaptive cruise control (ACC) and automatic emergency braking (AEB) aspects of ADAS. Enhancing front radar performance is one of the main drivers for innovation within the sector, as it plays a vital role in progressing safety technologies and the advancements of vehicle automation. Angular resolution and range are the two main focuses for these innovations, which are expected to take priority over other characteristics including field of view and packaging size.
Blind spot detection and the role of side radars
Side radars are mostly utilized for blind spot detection (BSD), with this feature having been dominant so far. Lane change assist (LCA) is an advanced use of BSD technology, with extra responsibility for the vehicle to ensure nothing is advancing from behind or closing in at the sides before allowing the car to be maneuvered.
Cross-traffic detection (CTA), used to reverse out of a parking space, is also a vital use for side radars and gives the vehicle another layer of awareness where the driver may not be able to see. Junction pedestrian AEB is a merged application that uses the front and front side radars to scan for people on the road before the car has fully turned, showcasing different radars working together to achieve a higher level of safety.
A wide field of view is more imperative for side radars than front radars to ensure the distance around the car is covered. Small packaging is also necessary to integrate the radars seamlessly into the vehicle and to fit in as many as required for optimized coverage. Long range isn’t as important for side radars; 50 meters or under is likely to be sufficient for their intended uses.
Level 2+ autonomy going global
IDTechEx describes Level 2+ as a stepping stone between levels 2 and 3, which allows drivers to drive completely hands-free while keeping their eyes on the road and being alert and ready to take back control of the wheel. In the US, Tesla‘s ‘Full-Self-Driving’ and Ford‘s ‘BlueCruise’ are up and running, paving the way for other companies to start bringing out vehicles with the same technology and consolidating consumer trust in autonomous vehicles. After entering the European market in 2023, IDTechEx reports that Ford’s ‘BlueCruise’ technology is now operating in 15 countries. From 2025, Tesla aims to deploy fully self-driving vehicles in China, which will also encourage the uptake of Level 2+ vehicles.
The maintained supervision accompanying level 2+ may be why it is currently presenting as more favorable than level 3. The benefits of autonomous vehicles and their appealing futuristic qualities can be experienced with an added layer of security, which also may help OEMs with liability in the event of a collision.
4D radars and future developments
4D and imaging radars will be necessary for advancing systems because of the elevation resolution it brings as well as Azimuth resolution, which can adjust the car’s planning and adaptivity. This technology will more easily enable the development of level 3 and level 4 going forward, as the vehicle will have more detailed information of what is being detected, and what the necessary action is.
For more information on developing vehicle radar technologies, visit www.IDTechEx.com/Radar. Downloadable sample pages are also available.
For the full portfolio of robotics and sensors market research available from IDTechEx, please see www.IDTechEx.com/Research/Robotics.
About IDTechEx
IDTechEx provides trusted independent research on emerging technologies and their markets. Since 1999, we have been helping our clients to understand new technologies, their supply chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.IDTechEx.com.
