Page 30 - ATZ WORLDWIDE

COVER STORY AUTOMATED DRIVING

FIGURE 5 Mapping of a radar antenna: (a) radar antenna pattern in free space, (b) modified pattern if the beam
is interfered by front components like radiator grills on the vehicle (© Ansys)

antenna, the high-fidelity physics sim- them robust. With Icepak, Si-Wave and The physical effects due to shrinking
ulation calculates the output signal at Mechanical, the Ansys simulation plat- components geometries lead to challenges
the receiving antenna based on the form provides specific tools to analyse in the development regarding power and
virtual environment “monitored” by various physical phenomena in elec- reliability of the components. With the
the radar, FIGURE 6. tronic packages, circuit boards, fixtures RedHawk 3DIC and the PowerArtist pack-
– in-driving-scenario radar simulation: and systems. age of the Ansys simulation platform,
Reduced Order Models (ROMs) of these challenges can be easily managed.
high-fidelity simulations are used to SEMICONDUCTOR SIMULATION
create fast-executing, but highly accu- WHAT CAN AUTOMOTIVE
rate, radar models. ADAS and autonomous vehicle systems DEVELOPMENT LEARN FROM
The same simulation tools are also used require a very high performance in sig- AVIATION?
to develop and to place antennas for V2X nal processing and computation to be
communication. They ensure signal done in real-time onboard the vehicle. The aerospace industry has been ahead
integrity in real-world scenarios, for As a result semiconductor companies are of the automotive industry in developing
instance if buildings or other vehicles developing devices with improved per- autonomous systems. Nowadays, most
interfere with the signal path, FIGURE 7. formance, lower energy demands, aircrafts operate over 80 % of their flight
The Ansys simulation platform also enhanced structural and thermal relia- time in an autonomous mode. Model-
offers an acoustic solver which can sim- bility and reduced component size. based solutions for embedded code gen-
ulate ultrasonic sensors. One application
is, for example, an ultrasonic sensor
mounted on the rear corner of a car: As
the vehicle approaches a cylindrical pole,
the simulation, performed by a high-fi-
delity computation of acoustic wave
propagation, helps recognise the pole. Cross-lane traffic

ELECTRONICS HARDWARE Guard rails
SIMULATION
Automated and autonomous vehicles
contain far more electronic devices than
today’s vehicles, such as radars, lidars,
cameras and other sensors. Many of
these are safety critical components.
Therefore, their hardware needs to be Same-lane traffic
designed to withstand electrical, ther-
mal, mechanical and vibrational loads
without failure throughout the entire Rx and Tx radar
life cycle of the vehicle. Simulation also Ego vehicle antenna patterns
expedites the testing of designs and pro- FIGURE 6 High-fidelity physics simulation of a radar operating in a driving scenario: the radar is mounted
vides physical insights that enable engi- on the ego-vehicle roof (on the left in the figure); the coloured pattern stands for Tx (transmitter), the grey
neers to optimise components and make pattern is for Rx (receiver) (© Ansys)
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