Imaging Radar for Detecting Spatial Distribution of Reflection from an Automobile

Rear-end collisions account for a large percentage of traffic accidents. When a larger automobile such as a bus or truck hits from behind a passenger car, the damage can be severe. Many technological attempts, including pre-collision safety systems, have been made to help reduce the number of collisions and minimize the damage they cause. Higher awareness about driving safety has led to calls for pre-collision safety systems installed not only on passenger cars but on buses and trucks. Recent radar technology plays an important role in the solutions, including its application in developing emergency braking systems and dummy cars. The authors have developed an imaging radar system to facilitate testing and evaluation of how well a radar under test performs in detecting, for example, a lead vehicle or a pedestrian crossing the street. This imaging radar also helps in analyzing the intensity of reflected waves to advance emergency braking systems.