Since SAE International gave a definition of automation hierarchy for assessing autonomous driving technology, it has become the global industry reference standard for defining automated/automated vehicles, and it has also excited the global automotive industry to see a chasable goal, achieving the highest level. 5 levels of automatic driving technology. Although this road may still be very long, from ADAS to autonomous driving, like car electrification, it is an irreversible technological evolution path for all car manufacturers.
Safety is always the most important consideration in the advancement of autonomous driving. In order to achieve accurate perception, analysis and judgment of the outside environment, more and more sensors are placed in the car, from the earliest image sensors to the current millimeter wave radar, laser radar, inertial navigation and so on. During the recent Electronics Show in Munich, Chris Jacobs, vice president of Automotive Transportation and Safety at Analog Devices, presented a picture of the development of automotive sensors.
In Chris's view, in order to ensure the safety of self-driving cars, we need a variety of data information to help the system analyze and derive the basis for judgment, including weather robustness, shading, object classification, lateral resolution, direct speed measurement. , distance measurement, etc., to meet this information, not one or a sensor can do, so the future automotive sensors will be a variety of product types coexist and complement each other, the above image sensor, millimeter wave radar, lidar And inertial navigation and so on will be useful. ADI, as an old player who has cultivated automotive electronics, especially in the automotive safety market for more than 25 years, has a deep technical accumulation in these sensor products, and will have a lot to do in the field of autonomous vehicles now and in the future.
Chris Jacobs, Vice President, Automotive Transportation and Safety | Analog Devices
In the field of image radar, the requirements for autonomous driving are high resolution of azimuth and elevation angle of 1 ゚ or higher, faster warning time/low delay, 400kph+ accurate speed measurement, scalable solution working in USRR to LRR, etc. . ADI offers solutions with azimuth and elevation resolutions less than 1 ,, scalable 28nm CMOS process technology for next-generation 7*GHz ADAS and autopilot image radar applications, 360-degree viewing, and high-defense True image radar detects smaller objects at greater distances with high reliability.
ADI exhibition area at the Munich Electronics Show
BMW electric car built with ADI technology
ADI In-Car Intelligent Sensor Fusion Solution
In terms of laser radar, ADI can provide 1500nm λ laser radar, which can achieve 4 times scanning range, is not susceptible to sunlight, and has better environmental robustness. Short-wave infrared can better handle some special Environment (including fog, smoke, dust, etc.). In addition, ADI can provide complete product solutions for automotive laser radar products, including high performance linear, data conversion and power management solutions, supporting systems including 900nm and 1500nm; providing long-distance scanning and short-to-medium The distance scanning solution provides solid-state scanning solutions for long-distance scanning, supports non-mechanical beam steering, robustness to shock and vibration, and intelligent adaptive scanning for short to medium range scanning. Provides a medium resolution flash memory solution with special ambient light suppression and interference suppression.
The inertial MEMS unit (IMU) is the key to the autopilot-level navigation and guidance system. It is the guarantee of precision maps, GPS and SLAM sensors, and is not affected by environmental conditions, because gravity is the eternal existence of the earth. The IMU's relative and absolute position derivation does not depend on any external equipment, does not require any external signals, it can be installed in a hidden position such as the car chassis, so as to avoid electronic or mechanical attacks. In addition, because the IMU has a certain degree of redundancy between the measured values of angular velocity and acceleration, coupled with redundant information such as wheel speedometer and steering wheel angle, the confidence of the output is much higher than that provided by other sensors. Absolute or relative positioning results.
Chris is proud to say that ADI's IMU products have been selected in large numbers. On the one hand, they have accumulated a wealth of technology. ADI has been working on MEMS accelerometers since 1987 and MEMS gyroscopes in 2002. In 2007, the technology of MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes were mature. At that time, there were many needs in the market, and the two sensors needed to be merged together. Therefore, ADI released the industrial IMU products in 2007. Because ADI has a complete set of signal chain processing products, such as ADCs, processors, etc., ADI has industry-leading products that can integrate all of these products, including sensors, into one module to achieve a high-performance IMU; another reason is stability. If the car is running on the road, it is not a flat, such as a speed bump, there will be some bumps. In these cases, it is very important that the sensor has a stable output. ADI's sensors, whether gyroscopes or accelerometers, still provide stable output in high-vibration environments, which is the biggest competitive advantage of their products. The core competency of this product relies on its sensor design and is calibrated at the back end, so ADI's IMU products are extremely reliable. ADI also has a number of patented technologies here.
In the field of autonomous driving, ADI offers the Drive 360 autopilot sensor solution, focusing on radar, lidar and IMU inertial navigation. As a sensor and system-level solution provider, ADI is working with ecosystem players such as suppliers and OEMs to research and explore autonomous driving solutions. “Because more and more sensing systems are added to new electronic equipment systems, they are becoming more and more complex. Beyond the experience of traditional Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs, it is often necessary for chip manufacturers to provide technical guidance at the system level. And advice, so ADI works closely with OEMs and Tier1 to leverage our system design experience to serve the industry and autopilot systems,” Chris said.
