This paper describes the measurement of additive/residual phase noise of power amplifiers or multipliers for example for automotive RADAR sensors at 80 GHz using the interferometric measurement approach in combination with a phase noise and VCO tester R&S FSWP. The setup provides a way to characterize the additive/residual phase noise of amplifiers down to -150 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset even in the microwave range at 80 GHz.

11-Sep-2024 | AN-No. 1EF117

Automotive radars are essential to safety systems such as collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control. The radars are a pillar of ADAS/AD systems and an important part of sensor fusion. The effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of automotive radar sensors is the total power emitted from radar antennas and a comprehensive measure of signal strength and coverage capability (essential to assessing automotive radar sensor performance). The AREG800A automotive radar echo generator makes for easy EIRP measurements when validating automotive radar sensors.

06-Aug-2024

Automotive radar sensors concealed in bumpers must transmit in the correct frequency domain. To effectively hide sensors, radar-transparent areas usually have the exact same paint as the rest of the vehicle. When selecting paint and coatings for bumpers, you need to know their material properties. In the past, either quasi-optical or waveguide based setups with vector network analyzers (VNA) were used. The following application card describes a simplified material characterization method in the automotive radar frequency domain (76 GHz to 81 GHz) with the R&S®QAR50 automotive radome tester.

22-May-2024

The automotive industry is undergoing a transformative shift towards electrification. Precise measurement and analysis of electric drivetrains are vital to improved performance, efficiency and reliability. MXO oscilloscopes have become an essential test tool for these measurements, with real-time insight into voltage and current waveforms that let engineers and technicians explore the intricate mechanisms to improve drivetrain performance and efficiency.

12-Mar-2024

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) is a pillar of 6G. Combining two different yet similar worlds – communications and environmental sensing – brings the future to life in the 6G era. The key ISAC drivers are beamforming with MIMO arrays, artificial intelligence (AI), modern modulation schemes and dense network infrastructure. The R&S®AREG800A automotive radar echo generator is a core element of a versatile research and development test solution in the ISAC community.

11-Mar-2024

World’s first fully electronically steerable antenna array.

27-Jun-2023

Automotive radar is vital to the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that will help achieve Net Zero (zero accidents, zero fatalities) targets in the automobile industry. In a driving environment, radar sensors must detect real objects even when there is interference. The R&S®AREG800A automotive radar echo generator is essential to any solution that tests radar sensor immunity to interference.

15-Jun-2023

Calibration and Verification Solution

The UWB (Ultra-Wideband) technology is a short range wide-band radio technology specified for device to device communication operating in unlicensed spectrum. It is an RF positioning technology that enables accurate and secure peer-to-peer ranging between mobile devices with robust resistance to interference while consuming very low energy and coexisting well with other radio communication systems. UWB is used for a variety of different applications, such as asset tracking, secure payment, personal tracker, real time location services and keyless access and start of a vehicle etc. According to ABI Research forecasts, there will be well over 1 billion UWB annual device shipments by 2026. Almost every smart phone shipped in 2026 will support UWB services.Talking about testing aspect of a UWB device, in general two test methodologies can be adopted as other wireless products, either the traditional testing mode (so-called conducted test mode) with wired RF connection between the test measurement equipment and device under test (DUT) or over the air (OTA) test mode in an OTA anechoic chamber. Sometimes, it is not always possible or necessary to perform the tests under conducted mode due to the limiting factors, e.g. cost, space, complexity and direct access to the RF connectors of the product. In this case, OTA testing is then becoming a non-evitable approach. Moreover, OTA testing reflects the usage of DUT in a real condition.In this application note, R&S® OTA test solution covering transmitter (Tx), receiver (Rx) and Time of Flight (ToF) testing in Wireless Automated Testing (WMT) environment is described. The measurement results throughout the whole document are based on NXP Trimension™ NCJ29D5 UWB automotive IC.

12-Apr-2023 | AN-No. 1SL394

Radar technology is essential for state-of-the art and future vehicles on the path to full autonomous driving. Radar sensors deliver critical information about the surrounding traffic environment or monitor the interior of the vehicle. As safety-relevant parts, radar sensors must adhere to specifications and regulations.

12-Dec-2022

A step by step HOW TO guide to perform manual and automated wireless coexistence testing

At the end of the year 2020, there were over 20 Billion internet of things (IoT) products in the world operating using the licensed and unlicensed frequency bands. This growth trend is projected to keep steady over the coming years as more and more people adopt to a smarter and more connected lifestyle. This will result in a much busier and challenging RF environment than the one we have today. In order to understand the complexity of the RF spectrum, a white paper was published in 2021 from Rohde & Schwarz, which featured RF spectrum activity at multiple locations observed at different times of the day. The locations were selected based on population densities and the amount of known RF transmitters & their frequencies at those locations. It was also concluded that the ISM bands on average have higher channel utilization since most IoT devices take advantage of the unlicensed spectrum. The paper recommended, that while performing wireless coexistence testing, the test conditions should reflect the operational RF environment that the device is intended to operate in. Otherwise, the characterization of RF performance would only reflect ideal case which doesn’t exist in real world operation. Since it is not always possible to test all devices in the real world, relevant test methodologies need to be setup to replicate the real world as much as possible.This will help us get a better understanding of how the receiver of the RF device will behave under different RF conditions. It is also recommended to perform measurements in order to understand the behavior of the device in the future when the spectrum will get even more challenging. Therefore, a through characterization of the capability of the RF receiver to handle in-band and out-of-band interference signals in also of interest.In terms of regulatory compliance requirements for ensuring wireless coexistence performance, the ANSI C63.27 is currently the only published test standard that provides guidance on how to perform coexistence testing on devices. The test complexity is based up on risk imposed on the user’s health in the event of a failure caused by an or a plurality of interference signal. The standard also gives device manufacturers guidance regarding test setups, measurement environments, interference signal types and strategy, performance quality measurement parameters for physical layer using key performance indicator (KPI) and application layer parameters for end-to-end functional wireless performance (FWP).In this application note, the guidance provided by the ANSI C63.27-2021 version regarding test setup, measurement parameter and interference signal have been followed. It will give the reader a clear idea on how to configure standardized test instruments from R&S in order to generate the wanted signal as well as unintended interference signals and conduct measurement to monitor device performance in terms of PER, ping latency and data throughput.This application note provides step-by-step instruction on how to perform measurements using conducted and radiated methodology. Both manual and automated instrument configuration approach is explained in this document.The automation scripts are written using python scripting language and are available for download with this application note, free of charge. Official required to run the scripts are available on the PYPI database.

10-Nov-2022 | AN-No. 1SL392

Electronic systems like electronic control units (ECU) must pass several stringent qualification tests in order to be approved for automotive use. These tests include a reverse polarity test which is specified as part of ISO 16750‑2. In line with the specification, the electronic module must withstand a negative supply voltage for a specific time without suffering any damage. The R&S®NGU401 source measurement unit (SMU) is ideal to perform this task, plus it provides automated testing capability.

23-May-2022

Testing radomes, bumpers, QAR50 Ensure a high level of performance and reduce performance degradation of automotive radar sensors caused by radomes and bumpers with the R&S®QAR50.

21-Apr-2022

Oscilloscopes are increasingly used to analyze pulsed signals such as radar signals for aerospace and defence as well as automotive applications. The oscilloscopes’ wide analysis bandwidth and manifold trigger capabilities, make them a good fit for the increasing demand for higher bandwidths and accurate signal detection in these applications. R&S®VSE vector signal explorer software is a powerful tool for comprehensive analysis of a variety of signals, providing full support to the Rohde & Schwarz oscilloscope advanced trigger system. Adjusting the trigger settings enables pulses and pulse sequences to be isolated and run full pulse analysis using the R&S®VSE vector signal explorer software.

03-Feb-2021

The antenna patterns of automotive radars provide a wealth of information that is of vital importance during radar development and validation.

28-Oct-2020

Today’s cars are highly integrated and interconnected. Up to 150 embedded electronic control units (ECUs) in a car secure a convenient and safe driving experience. Examples of ECUs include transmission control modules, ECUs for air conditioning systems, and even self-updating 5G-ready telematics control units.

06-Jul-2020

This application note describes different measurement techniques and methods for an automotive lighting module based on a hybrid controller design. Of course, a lighting module in such an environment has to fulfil requirements according to the automotive standard, which is typically a relatively high-level standard compare to the industry standard. The oscilloscope is a perfect tool for this application to verify the set of requirements because time domain signals (analog and digital) are present in the whole design. Furthermore, measurements in the frequency domain have to be performed, which a modern oscilloscope can fulfil. In addition to the oscilloscope, a programmable power supply supports the measurement in several measurements. The set of requirements are the main reason why a hybrid controller from Microchip is a great choice for this design because it provides tremendous analogue and digital capabilities. The hybrid controller provides beside the analogue functions like an operational amplifier digital functions like analog-to-digital converter and interface functions like UART, CAN or LIN to interact with other systems. The programmable software part is hosted in the digital part. The digital part of the controller implements the communication interface and provides status information to the outer system controller. The light source itself has to avoid any flicker and shall be capable to dim to different lighting levels. Wide input voltage variations and efficiency have to be taken into account during the design of a converter dedicated for automotive applications. Nevertheless, the measurement considerations presented with the design are valid and applicable in other professional lighting industries as well.Thanks to Mr. Andreas Reiter and Mr. Milan Marjanovic from Microchip who provided us with hardware and software and their great expertise to create this application note.

08-Jun-2020 | AN-No. GFM339

10BASE-T1S Ethernet enables the integration of diverse sensors into an automotive-Ethernet vehicle supply system, for example short-range radar sensors for detecting blind spots or ultrasonic sensors for the parking assistant. For reliable operation of the functions, data transmission over 10BASE‑T1S Ethernet must be assured at all times and in every climatic environment. Functionality must be tested during development and in production. Only 10BASE-T1S Ethernet interfaces that have passed compliance testing in line with IEEE 802.3cg can be deployed in vehicles. Consequently, vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers need measuring equipment that allows them to perform these tests quickly and reliably.

15-May-2020

Test, calibrate and verify high-performance automotive radar sensors with the R&S®ATS1500C CATR antenna test system and the R&S®AREG100A automotive radar echo generator.

13-Jan-2020

Integrating the R&S®SMBV100B GNSS simulator into the AVL DRIVINGCUBE™ toolchain creates new possibilities for validating advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving functions at the vehicle level. Combining a complete vehicle on a vehicle test bed with physical sensor stimulation results in fast, reproducible and cost-efficient testing. All possible driving scenarios can be executed under realistic and safe conditions.

09-Jan-2020

Integrating automotive radar sensors into cars is very challenging. Radars operate behind bumpers, design emblems, in side mirrors or other plastic parts of the car. All radome materials need to be sufficiently transparent and homogeneous for automotive radars, which operate in the 77 GHz and 79 GHz band or even both simultaneously. The new system measures, visualizes and analyzes radar radomes in a manner you have never seen before. Optimize your radome material for best performance and effective integration of modern automotive radar sensors.

27-Aug-2019

This application note is a systematic guide to help test engineers configure the Vector Network Analyzer in order to perform compliance test on Automotive Ethernet cables according to the Open Alliance TC9 standard.

13-Aug-2019 | AN-No. GFM323

FMCW radar sensors are used in vehicles for adaptive cruise control and for blind-spot, lane-change and cross traffic assistants. Radar sensors for acquisition of the surroundings are key components for future vehicles with semi-autonomous and fully autonomous driving. Autonomous driving requires radars that reliably detect objects in the surrounding area. Radar makes it possible to quickly and precisely measure the radial velocity, range and azimuth and elevation angle of multiple objects. For this reason, the automobile industry is increasingly using this technology in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Rohde & Schwarz offers T&M solutions for generating, measuring and analyzing radar signals and components to ensure trouble free operation of these sensors. The high-performance oscilloscope R&S® RTP with four measurement channels is the perfect solution for multi-channel measurements on MIMO radar sensors and correlation with other signals e.g. power rails, whereas a spectrum analyzer such as the R&S® FSW85 offers highest dynamic up to 85 GHz.This application note focuses on how to measure and analyze FMCW radar signals with up to 6 GHz bandwidth with an R&S® RTP oscilloscope. On-board analysis features for pulse and chirp analysis for single- and multi-channel measurements will be addressed as well as the combination of oscilloscope and R&S® VSE software. Measurement of an FMCW radar signal in the 77 - 81GHz band with 4 GHz bandwidth is demonstrated.

07-Aug-2019 | AN-No. GFM318

R&S®CMWcards is an intuitive and user-friendly software application that makes mobility verification easier than ever.

23-Jul-2019

Modern automotive radar systems occupy very wide bandwidth in order to have a good location resolution. In most cases the bandwidth is a result of frequency modulation or fast frequency hopping techniques, in some cases also pulse modulation is used. Besides the measurement of the frequency variation over time like deviation and linearity, the verification of emissions according to EN or FCC standards is mandatory. ETSI regulations for measuring peak transmission power from radar operating at 77-81 GHz require 50 MHz resolution bandwidth for the measurements. Publications are available that describe the measurements on pulsed UWB or MB-OFDM signals in detail, for frequency-modulated signals the information is limited.This application note provides information how to perform spectral emission measurements on frequency modulated CW signals with spectrum analyzers using RBW filters with very wide bandwidth, and explains the capabilities and the limiting factors of the Rohde & Schwarz FSW signal and spectrum analyzer to perform this measurement.

28-Jun-2019 | AN-No. 1EF107

R&S®CMWcards, an intuitive and user-friendly software application, makes mobility verification easier than ever.

09-Apr-2019

R&S®CMWcards, an intuitive and user-friendly software application, makes it possible to recreate field testing in a lab environment

19-Feb-2019

Drivers rely more and more on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) based on radar technology. The radar sensor delivers information about the surrounding traffic environment. It is a must for every radar sensor to detect wanted signals from real objects also in the presence of unwanted interferers. The R&S®AREG100A provides a powerful solution for testing the immunity of radar sensors against interferers.

14-Aug-2018

The R&S®AREG100A automotive radar echo generator provides OEM test engineers with a powerful solution for reliable testing of automotive radar sensors during final inspection at the end of assembly lines.

13-Aug-2018

All-in-one test solution for the production of automotive radar sensors automotive radar echo generator, AREG100A, automotive radar sensors Automotive radar sensors are safety-relevant and have to be comprehensively tested for reliable functioning.

06-Aug-2018

Today’s infotainment units offer a wide range of features to truly embody the concept of the connected car.

14-Jun-2018