A detection-system for a vehicle to detect the presence of one or more object relative to the vehicle comprises a module-housing, a radar sensor component located within the module-housing for emitting a radar beam and receiving reflected signals in a detection mode. The radar sensor component comprises means for emitting a defrost beam in a defrost mode; the defrost beam overlapping the radar beam. The detection-system further comprises an absorber material located in the field of view of the defrost beam to absorb the energy of the defrost beam and to warm up in view to provide a defrosting effect.

A low cost, all weather, high definition RF radar system for an autonomous vehicle is described. The high definition RF radar system generates true target object data suitable for imaging, scene understanding, and all weather navigation of the autonomous vehicle. The high definition RF radar system includes a pair of independent orthogonal linear arrays. Data from both linear arrays is fed to a processor that performs data association to form true target detections and target positions. A Boolean association method for determining true target detections and target positions reduces many of the ghosts or incorrect detections that can produce image artifacts. The high definition RF radar system provides near optimal imaging in any dense scene for autonomous vehicle navigation, including during visually obscured weather conditions such as fog.

A waveguide device includes: a first conductive member having a first conductive surface; a first waveguide member having a first waveguide face opposing the first conductive surface; a plurality of first conductive rods on both sides of the first waveguide member; a second conductive member having a second conductive surface; a second waveguide member having a second waveguide face opposing the second conductive surface; and a plurality of second conductive rods on both sides of the second waveguide member. A first waveguide gap exists between the first waveguide face and the first conductive surface. A second waveguide gap exists between the second waveguide face and the second conductive surface. One end of the first waveguide gap is connected to the second waveguide gap, and at a connecting portion therebetween, the first waveguide face extends in a direction that intersects a plane which is parallel to the second conductive surface.

A windshield includes a radar that detects an object around the radar with transmitted and received radio waves in a millimeter band and a radar window on which at least a portion of the radio waves is incident. The windshield includes a windshield main body including a single glass layer or at least one glass layer on which a resin layer is laminated. Both of the windshield main body and the radar window are plate-shaped. An area of the radar window is smaller than an area of the windshield main body. A dielectric constant of the radar window is smaller than a dielectric constant of the glass layer. At least a portion of a side surface connecting an outer surface and an inner surface of the radar window is in contact with a side surface connecting an outer surface and an inner surface of the windshield main body.

The invention relates to a radar antenna arrangement (1) for a vehicle (2), comprising at least one vehicle component (3), wherein the radar antenna arrangement (1) comprises a plurality of radar devices (4) which are configured to transmit and/or receive a radar beam (12). The radar devices (4) are arranged on a component surface (5) of the vehicle component (3). The invention provides for the radar antenna arrangement (1) to comprise at least one antenna row (6) for determining an azimuthal angle (10) of the radar beam (12), said antenna row comprising a plurality of the radar devices (4). Directly adjacent radar devices (4) have respective horizontal distances (8) from one another. The radar antenna arrangement (1) comprises at least one antenna column (7) for determining an elevation angle (11) of the radar beam (12), said antenna column comprising a plurality of the radar devices (4). Directly adjacent radar devices (4) have respective vertical distances (9) from one another. The at least one antenna row (6) and the at least one antenna column (7) include an angle α of between 5 degrees and 180 degrees.

A radar antenna assembly for a vehicle, including a composite window pane and at least one radar device designed to transmit and/or receive radar beam. The at least one radar device has an antenna unit and an amplifier unit. The amplifier unit is designed to provide an electrical driver signal for the antenna unit, and/or to receive an electrical echo signal from the antenna unit. The antenna unit may be arranged in the composite window pane of the vehicle, the amplifier unit may be arranged on a surface of the composite window pane, and the antenna unit and the amplifier unit are spatially separate from one another and are electrically interconnected via a connecting element arranged in the composite window pane.

An automotive vehicle having (a) a pane with a refractive index, n1, (b) a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) device located in the interior environment and facing the inner surface of the pane, and (c) an anti-reflection unit, made of a material of refractive index, n3, coupling the LiDAR device to the inner surface of the transparent pane, and having a mean absorption coefficient (k) in the wavelength range from 750 nm to 1650 nm lower than 5 m.sup.−1 (i.e., k≤5 m.sup.−1). The anti-reflection unit also has an interfacial surface coupled in intimate contact with the inner surface of the transparent pane and a surface coupled to the LiDAR device, forming the angle θ with the interfacial surface and which normal forms the angle φ, with the incident axis (i0), where φ is between −30° and +30°.

A system of the present disclosure includes a coarse observation sensor configured to observe a range around a vehicle, high-accuracy observation object identification means configured to identify a high-accuracy observation object that is an object detected by the coarse observation sensor in the observation range and is an object to be observed at a higher resolution, object presence area prediction means configured to predict a range of an object future presence area where the high-accuracy observation object may be present after the identification, a fine observation sensor configured to observe the range of the object future presence area at the higher resolution, and object information output means configured to output information on the high-accuracy observation object observed by the fine observation sensor.

A method for preventing the collision of a vehicle with an overhead obstacle, comprising mounting at least one sensor on a vehicle that includes a vehicle control system, wherein the sensor is in electrical communication with a processor located within and powered by the vehicle; determining a reference height, which is the height above ground level at which the at least one sensor is mounted on the vehicle; inputting the reference height into the processor; determining the height of the tallest portion of the vehicle above ground level; inputting the height of the tallest portion of the vehicle above ground level into the processor; using the sensor to measure the overhead distance between the lowest portion of an obstacle and the at least one sensor; using the processor to determine a measured height of the overhead obstacle, which is the reference height added to the distance between the overhead obstacle and the sensor; and communicating an alarm to an operator of the vehicle if the measured height of the overhead obstacle is less than the height of the tallest portion of the vehicle above ground level.

A detection system for a vehicle in an environment has a reflective member positioned along an x-y plane for rotation around a rotational axis orthogonal to the x-y plane. The reflective member has a plurality of reflective sides, each of the reflective sides sloping towards the rotational axis at a slope angle different than the slope angle of at least one of the others of the reflective sides. At least one detector is positioned offset from the rotational axis and the x-y plane, an active side of the plurality of reflective sides positioned to provide a field of view between the detector and the environment. An actuator is configured to rotate the reflective member around the rotational axis to change the active reflective side to a different one of the plurality of reflective sides.