Ultra-wideband radar shapes smarter car experiences
Mark Manninger discusses how UWB technology is helping to deliver vehicles that are more connected, safer, and offer more features than ever before
Connectivity plays an increasingly large role in everyday life, from the proliferation of wearable devices to the smart home. Communication between devices is even evolving in the automotive sector. Connected cars deliver a whole host of advantages for drivers, with cutting-edge sensors helping components to communicate with each other.
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC (Near Field Communication) and 4G LTE have led the way when it comes to automotive connectivity in recent years. Vehicles have ever-better navigation solutions, pulling in additional data using 4G LTE, and no longer simply lean on GPS. Because data is accessed by the vehicle in real-time, traffic updates are far more accurate, and routing is more efficient. Such connectivity also helps electric vehicle (EV) drivers to locate available charging stations en route. Meanwhile, infotainment systems use Bluetooth/Wi-Fi to connect to smartphones to deliver personalised music streaming, or to mirror smartphone applications onscreen. These are some of the connected technologies you can see, but there’s a lot more going on under the skin.
Vehicles use 4G LTE and other technologies to connect to the wider world, such as automatically ringing emergency services in the result of an accident. There are also sensors that can help when it comes to maintenance, from tyre pressure monitoring systems to self-diagnosis, with vehicles contacting service centres when mechanical issues arise.
The introduction of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology promises even more secure connectivity. UWB can accurately determine distances and the direction of signals, and is secure, fast, and efficient. It’s also used in smartphones, making it the ideal technology to replace the humble car key. While traditional keys use wireless technologies that are open to attack, criminals can fool cars into believing the key is nearby when it isn’t. UWB technology isn’t open to the same vulnerabilities due to its physical nature, which ensures the integrity of the distance estimate between two UWB-enabled devices. As such, an increasing number of manufacturers are switching to UWB-based smart key solutions.
NXP is taking UWB to the next level. The company has integrated radar alongside ultra-wideband connectivity to create UWB Radar, and it can do a great deal more than simply unlock the vehicle.
The benefits of smarter connectivity
UWB Radar works on a similar premise to UWB, using time of flight (ToF) to calculate distances, but the addition of radar technology introduces some life-changing applications. Manufacturers are looking at ways to use UWB Radar as part of rear occupant alert systems, with the potential to protect vulnerable passengers from the dire consequences of heat exposure in parked cars. In 2022, the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) introduced rating points for child-presence detection. A UWB Radar system can accurately scan the car’s interior. If signs of life are detected, indicating that someone remains in the car, the system can notify the driver.
UWB Radar works at comparatively low frequencies (6-8 GHz), making it good at passing through the solid material found inside a car, including bulkheads, car seats and even baby blankets. This ability to penetrate certain surfaces means UWB radar can scan beyond the rear seat, into the cargo space.
The technology also uses the Doppler Effect to calculate velocity and can accurately detect very small movements, including an infant breathing. Because of this feature, UWB Radar has already been used by search and rescue teams to locate people buried in rubble, and it’s easy to see the benefits for in-car monitoring.
There are plenty of other applications that UWB Radar could also be used for. Movement detection makes it suitable for use as part of a more accurate and more affordable security system, for example, without the integration of additional sensors. Because of its ability to detect vital signs, UWB Radar could remove false seat belt alerts when bags are placed on seats, while gesture recognition using UWB enables the trunk to open automatically after detecting a kick movement.
Technology challenges facing manufacturers
Introducing greater connectivity presents other challenges, not least when it comes to security. It’s critical that protection protocols are in place for devices to communicate with each other, with the need to meet a large array of international security standards. These cover everything from GDPR data privacy laws to common cloud regulations, with automotive-specific protocols from bodies such as the Car Connectivity Consortium also shaping the industry.
When it comes to connectivity, security is only as good as the weakest link, and the automotive ecosystem has faced plenty of challenges over the past decade. Many cars on the road today have been subjected to cybers attacks because security was not baked into the solutions from the beginning, with keyless entry based on weak security standards a great example.
The car itself isn’t the only area where manufacturers need to focus, with sensors communicating with smartphones, electric charging stations, other vehicles, and the outside world. It’s vital that security is considered across the entire spectrum. That means vehicle manufacturers working with smartphone manufacturers, semiconductor manufacturers, companies providing charging solutions, software developers and other industries.
There’s a huge array of technology in any one industry that needs to communicate with other devices and meet the same security protocols and standards. Things are even more complicated across multiple industries, and the need for a common language presents car manufacturers with a daunting challenge when it comes to security.
The automotive industry also faces more specific challenges, especially around the life cycle of components. For example, smartphones with relatively short product lives are updated annually, while cars have a significantly longer development cycle and the same vehicle can be on sale for years. Despite that, the vehicle needs to remain secure for the entirety of its operational life.
It’s not enough to build security protocols into one sensor or component—security needs to be integrated across the vehicle and the entire ecosystem. Hackers love to find vulnerabilities and weak links. The automotive industry is changing, and manufacturers are considering security from end-to-end, rolling out solutions, such as UWB-enabled car access solutions, that are increasingly secure.
Developing smarter, safer, and more comfortable vehicles
Despite the challenges, the future looks bright for the automotive industry and the end consumer, with smarter connectivity helping to deliver an exciting and transformative driving experience. It’s a future that includes more efficient and safer transportation, with connectivity and communication helping vehicles to avoid accidents. It’s also a future that includes considerably more features, from gesture support to enhanced security.
Technology such as UWB Radar makes these features possible while delivering greater value, using sensors across multiple applications, saving money for manufacturers, and delivering better value for the end consumer.
About the author: Marc Manninger is Senior Product Marketing Manager at NXP Semiconductors,