Traditionally, radar sensors relied on
low-bandwidth protocols such as CAN, LIN, and so forth. While sufficient for simple
object detection, these protocols fail to meet the requirements of modern radar
system for several reasons:
- Bandwidth Bottlenecks:
High-resolution imaging radar generates massive raw data streams that overwhelm
legacy buses. The standards of ADAS level 2+ and 3+ require higher antenna
counts, wider bandwidth, and raw data output in the radar application.
- Localized Computing: Since
CAN and LIN cannot support the necessary throughput, most radar processing must
be performed in a dedicated radar ECU rather than in a central compute or IVI
system. Consequently, less raw data is available to the ADAS stack, which
reduces measurement accuracy and overall system performance.
- Latency and Jitter:
Real-time autonomous decision-making requires deterministic data delivery.
Legacy protocols lack the robust time-sensitive networking (TSN) capabilities
required to synchronize radar data with a different sensor.
- Complex Topologies: Legacy
automotive systems are a combination of multiple interfaces: A CAN interface for
radar and an Ethernet for backbone communication. This combination introduces
complex system hardware and software development.
Legacy systems require separate
wiring harnesses for power and data, increasing the complexity of the electrical
architecture of the vehicle.