Skip to main content

Swedish project aims to increase traffic safety with new radar technology

To help achieve the Swedish Transportation Agency’s ‘Nollvisionen’ (zero traffic-related fatalities) and the EU’s traffic safety goal for 2020, Swedish companies Denso, Qamcom, Amparo Solutions and Acreo Swedish ICT are jointly developing the next generation of radar sensors for improved traffic safety. The 79 GHz UWB Imaging Radar Sensor project claims the market for automotive radar sensors for ADAS is growing rapidly every year, but today’s systems that utilise the 24 GHz and 77GHz bands have clear ba
October 9, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
To help achieve the Swedish Transportation Agency’s ‘Nollvisionen’ (zero traffic-related fatalities) and the EU’s traffic safety goal for 2020, Swedish companies Denso, Qamcom, Amparo Solutions and Acreo Swedish ICT are jointly developing the next generation of radar sensors for improved traffic safety.

The 79 GHz UWB Imaging Radar Sensor project claims the market for automotive radar sensors for ADAS is growing rapidly every year, but today’s systems that utilise the 24 GHz and 77GHz bands have clear bandwidth limitations.  Project members aim to develop more effective radar technology.

“A migration to the 79GHz band allows for several advantages, such as increased resolution and the possibility of multiple sensors around the vehicle to utilize the same frequency band,” says project leader Jan-Olov Axelsson, Denso.

Within around six months, Qamcom and Amparo will deliver the first 77GHz radar system for monitoring of level crossings to the Swedish Transportation Agency. These systems are meant primarily to prevent train derailments caused by collisions between trains and vehicles.

“With broadband 79 GHz radar systems, which we will now start to develop, there is the opportunity of a wide range of performance improvements that, among other things, allow for an increased level of pedestrian safety, easier installation and improved interference protection. Such systems are also ideal for many other types of traffic monitoring applications,” says Johan Lassing of Qamcom Technology.

“Another advantage when switching to the higher frequency band is the opportunity to develop a global standard for a multi-function radar sensor that supports all ADAS and ITS applications, from near to far range applications,” says Michael Salter, Acreo Swedish ICT.

A large number of EU countries have approved the use of W-band radar and the USA is also very likely to open the frequency band for additional applications shortly.

Radar sensors, components and systems that work with wider bandwidths at higher frequencies have many advantages. With an increased effective bandwidth radar systems can see further and with increased precision and the ability for identification of obstacles increases significantly. Furthermore, the use of higher frequencies allows for the reduction in the size of microwave components and antennas. The new technology is therefore expected eventually to be less expensive than today’s systems.

Related Content

  • Sensys Traffic to acquire Gatso
    June 23, 2015
    Sensys Traffic is to acquire Dutch enforcement company Gatso in a deal worth around US$33.9 million. Sensys’ acquisition of Gatso and the merger of the operations the two companies will create the largest supplier of traffic enforcement equipment with a strong presence in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia, as well as the North American managed services market. The combined company will operate under the name Sensys Gatso Group, with an installed base of 18,000 systems and 202 employees. The
  • ITS associations highlight road safety, video analysis, new regulations
    December 19, 2016
    ITS Australia has welcomed the country's National Transport Commission's roadmap of regulatory reform for automated vehicles, Ertico-ITS Europe has been appointed as the work-package leader for dissemination, exploitation and standardisation for the EU’s Cloud LSVA, French opportunities in the Italian ITS market formed the theme of ITS France’s first international breakfast meeting, TTS Italia vice president Diego Galletta highlighted the role of new technology solutions, Chris Philip, ITS Canada’s new boar
  • ANPR - cost-efficient traffic management, enforcement and more
    January 23, 2012
    Geoff Collins of Vysionics Intelligent Traffic Solutions talks about the near-term prospects of ANPR. The continued absence of a champion for its cause is preventing digital enforcement technology from delivering the true levels of cost-effectiveness of which it is capable, according to Geoff Collins, sales and marketing director of ANPR specialist Vysionics Intelligent Traffic Solutions.
  • Tags or communication based toll payment systems?
    January 20, 2012
    Midland Expressway Ltd's Tom Fanning discusses deployment of Near Field Communicationbased payment on the M6 Toll facility The M6 Toll's introduction from early next year of Near Field Communication (NFC) is a pragmatic response to the relative scarcity of tolled facilities and the concomitant low levels of tag take-up in the UK, according to the road's operator, Midland Expressway Ltd (MEL). Nevertheless, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC)-based tags operating at 5.8GHz are still a key part of the