- Rohde & Schwarz has developed the R&S AREG100A automotive radar echo generator adapted to the test requirements of the automotive industry.
- This radar echo generator can be used for final testing and inspection on the production lines of automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.
The R&S AREG100A automotive radar echo generator has the capability to test radar sensors in the 24 GHz ISM band and in the 77 GHz or 79 GHz E-band. It simulates echoes of up to four artificial target objects at fixed distances. User-configurable Doppler offsets can optionally be applied to simulate radial movement of the objects. Customers can specify desired fixed distances at the time of order.
The R&S AREG100A generator is a test solution for short and long range radars. It supports bandwidths up to 4 GHz in the E-band and can simulate objects at a minimum distance of 4 m if the distance between the front end and the object under test is 80 cm.
In view of the increasing number of vehicles equipped with driver assistance systems operating radar, European regulatory authorities have stipulated mandatory tests in the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) to ensure the safe operation and coexistence of automotive radar sensors, in particular with regard to autonomous driving.
To perform the tests specified in RED ETSI EN 303396, the R&S AREG100A generator is equipped with input and output ports calibrated in the IF band. The immunity of the sensors to interfering signals can be checked by means of an RF signal generator. The occupied bandwidth and interfering radiation can be measured using a connected signal and spectrum analyzer. The total radiated power (equivalent isotropic radiated power, EIRP) can be determined using a connected wattmeter.
According to Rohde & Schwarz, it is sufficient to have an RF signal generator up to 6 GHz, a signal and spectrum analyzer, and a wattmeter with a bandwidth of 8 GHz, since the hardware interface (frontend) adapted to millimeter waves can be used with all these instruments. No additional millimetre wave test and measurement instruments are required to perform the tests.
To enhance the reproducibility of this test system, Rohde & Schwarz also offers an anechoic test chamber whose compactness does not compromise the attenuation provided by its shielding.
