Uhnder will soon become the first company to mass produce a fully automotive qualified, 4D digital imaging radar-on-chip that will transform our roadways, making possible next-generation ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), autonomous vehicles (AVs), and automated mobility applications.
"Uhnder's 4D digital imaging radar-on-chip is a next-generation product that demonstrates new ways to advance automotive safety to save lives," said Douglas Campbell, president, Automotive Safety Council. "Fatalities of vulnerable road users are now 20 percent of all roadway deaths in the US and even more in developing countries. ADAS technologies, such as pedestrian automatic emergency braking (P-AEB) that can reliably operate at night, can help reduce pedestrian fatalities per the latest report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Improved high-resolution perception sensors, such as Uhnder's radar-on-chip can potentially help reduce this rising fatality category."
Uhnder’s technology delivers the industry’s first digital radar solution with better accuracy and the power to sense moving or standing objects, large or small, at both short and long distances in all-weather and lighting conditions, all while mitigating mutual interference between other radars. Uhnder’s digital radar can clearly identify a pedestrian crossing the road, a child entering the street from beside a parked car, or a bicyclist next to a guard rail, at levels of accuracy that legacy analog radar systems cannot achieve.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a statistical projection of traffic fatalities for the first half of 2021 shows that an estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents an increase of about 18.4 percent as compared to 17,020 fatalities that were projected in the first half of 2020. “Digital radar provides 16 times better resolution, 24 times more power on target, and 30 times better contrast than today’s analog offerings, improving detection capabilities for better road safety for all users – drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians,” said Manju Hegde, CEO and cofounder, Uhnder, Inc. “As more and more radars are fitted onto vehicles and other mobility solutions, interference among adjacent radar becomes problematic. Our radar, based on Digital Code Modulation, mitigates this problem.”
Automotive Qualification Milestones
In April 2022, Uhnder will release its radar-on-chip to mass production. The device will be the first 4D digital imaging radar solution and will have completed stringent automotive requirements:
- Automotive Electronics Council (AEC) Q104 qualification
- ISO 26262 Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL-B) rating
- Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) with its first Tier 1 automotive customer, Magna
With these milestones completed, the automotive industry will be another step closer to improving road safety for all. “Uhnder is a leader in digital imaging radar and a trusted partner in bringing the best innovations forward,” said Swamy Kotagiri, CEO, Magna International. “I am excited with the progress made over the years and ready for the entire ecosystem to experience what we already know to be true – that digital radar is fundamental for next-generation ADAS.”
Uhnder’s Digital Radar Hits the Road in 2022
Uhnder’s radar-on-chip, used in Magna’s ICON Digital Radar, will debut on vehicles in 2022. According to a previous release, it will appear on the Fisker Ocean SUV later this year.