Single-chip imaging radar enables 4D point cloud for automotive

By Gina Roos, editor-in-chief

Vayyar has claimed the first automotive 4D point cloud application on a single radar chip. The new chip with point cloud can display the dimension, shape, location, and movement of people and objects. This enables in-cabin passenger location and classification, occupant size, vital sign, and posture analysis, as well as 360° exterior mapping, including monitoring cars, objects, and pedestrians around a vehicle. And it can do it in any lighting or environmental conditions.

Vayyar said that its point cloud allows automotive designers to maximize in-cabin and exterior safety. Applications include seat belt reminders, optimized airbag deployment, gesture control, driver drowsiness alerts, and infant detection alarms.

In addition, it can map and classify the exterior of the car for better safety, including enhanced parking assistance, blind spot detection, lane-switching assistance, automatic speed and distance control, and alerts for height obstacles or obstructions. Click here for Vayyar’s video on how point cloud technology works.

The radar on a chip (ROC) consists of 48 transceivers at 76−81 GHz, which allows for more than 2,000 virtual channels. It also incorporates an internal DSP for real-time signal processing. The single-chip solution can be easily integrated into existing automotive frameworks, said Vayyar, which will reduce the cost and number of sensors needed.