Testing and validating radar chips at an early stage

Their goal is to generate and validate synthetic radar raw data for future sensor technologies so that radar technologies for highly-automated driving and self-driving cars can be developed more quickly. 

Radar technologies have become the foundation of many advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving applications. To meet the development needs of sensors for these increasingly demanding applications, NXP provides radar chips with new functions. Simulations are used to speed up development and to validate these functions.

As a key component, dSPACE is contributing its AURELION software for sensor-realistic simulation to the cooperation and expanding its radar raw data generation to enable future chip functions to be developed and tested using simulation. The quality of the radar raw data will be evaluated and validated together with NXP using the new chip functions.

"The sooner the validation of sensor technology starts in the development process, the sooner our customers can get safe cars with new features for autonomous driving on the road," explained Caius Seiger, Product Manager Sensor Simulation at dSPACE. 

NXP is using radar data generated by dSPACE in the development of system solutions for corner, front and imaging radar sensors. This data is an asset in the validation of radar integrated circuits (ICs), and the innovation of concepts that enable higher driving safety and automation levels. One application example is the use of the software AURELION to generate synthetic radar sensor data for the testing and development of algorithms for autonomous driving.

“The close collaboration with dSPACE helps us to continue our leadership in automotive radar to help accelerate the development of advanced driver assistance systems,” said Andrew Turley, Senior Director of Innovation at NXP Semiconductors.