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With the development of automotive electronics and automation, various sensor technologies have been applied. In the field of automobile safety, radar is regarded as an important device for sensing the surrounding environment, and the millimetre wave radar sensors developed on this basis play a role that should not be underestimated.
Millimetre wave has high resolution, good directivity, strong anti-interference ability and good detection performance. Automotive millimetre wave radar sensors have become the mainstream choice recognised by the industry because they are able to work around the clock and are not affected by light, haze, sandstorms and other inclement weather, and have a huge market demand, which is therefore also the main research and development direction of automotive electronics manufacturers. It is mainly used in blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and parking assistance, and can also be applied to automatic emergency braking, self-adjusting cruise control, forward collision warning and other active safety areas.
Automotive millimetre wave radar operates in the frequency bands of 21.65-26.65GHz and 76-81GHz, and the working frequency of mainstream cars is near the three frequency bands of 24GHz, 77GH and 79GHz. In today's millimetre wave radar field, 77GHz millimetre wave radar has become the favourite target of major manufacturers. 24GHz is like a mature and stable young man, while 77GHz is more like a vigorous and energetic teenager, with unlimited vitality and huge development potential.
77GHz Millimetre Wave Radar Attacks the City and Lands
77GHz is gradually eroding the market share of 24GHz millimetre wave radar, and it is wise for major manufacturers to actively deploy 77GHz millimetre wave radar boards for innovation. Taking the domestic market as an example, according to the tracking study of Josi Research's radar monthly report, since January 2018, the gap between the shipments of 77GHz radar and 24GHz radar in China's passenger car millimeter wave radar market has gradually narrowed, and finally in December 2018, the reverse has been achieved.Public information shows that the demand for 77GHz millimetre wave radar panels is expected to reach 10 million sets per year in the next few years.
The market's choice of 77GHz millimetre wave radar also follows its development pattern.
In the initial stage of millimetre wave radar development, 24GHz millimetre wave radar requires a relatively simple process, and major manufacturers start from 24GHz millimetre wave radar. After years of research and development of 24GHz millimetre wave radar, the product system of 24GHz millimetre wave radar in the market has become relatively mature, and the supply chain has become relatively stable. The focus of manufacturers has also shifted from 24GHz to 77GHz, which is more difficult to research and develop but has better overall performance.
77GHz mmWave radar has irreplaceable advantages over 24GHz mmWave radar.
First of all, 77GHz millimetre wave radarhas better detection accuracy. 24GHz electromagnetic wave has longer wavelength and bypassing ability, but this will make the directivity worse, which will affect the judgement of the target position, and even the error of deviation from the lane, and the accuracy will be affected. 77GHz radar has smaller wavelength, and although the bypassing ability is weaker than that of 24GHz radar, its detection accuracy is higher. Therefore, 77GHz millimetre wave radar will undoubtedly have a certain advantage in the future for automatic driving, which requires excellent detection accuracy.
In addition, 77GHz millimetre wave radar panels have a longer detection distance. Although 24GHz is theoretically a longer wavelength, it belongs to the internationally recognised ISM frequency band and is not exclusive to automotive applications. To avoid interference, 24GHz millimetre wave radars for automotive applications require certain power limitations.In the 77GHz band, which is exclusive to automotive applications, more power can be used to obtain a longer range. At the same time, 77GHz millimetre wave radar meets the high transmission power and wide operating bandwidth,which can simultaneously achieve long-distance detection and high distance resolution.
Secondly, 77GHz millimetre wave radar is smaller in size. As the frequency of 24GHz radar is lower and the wavelength is longer, the antenna required for the radar is longer,and it is more difficult to make a small-sized radar. Therefore, 24GHz millimetre-wave radar will be bigger than 77GHz millimetre-wave radar, and the volume is a key issue in the pursuit of aesthetics and lightweight vehicle-mounted field.
Foreign vendors take half of the cake
According to P&W's forecast, the global automotive millimetre wave radar market will reach US$3.8 billion in 2020, and the global automotive millimetre wave radar market is expected to reach US$9.2 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of 16%, and the demand for domestic millimetre wave radar will reach 42.59 million pcs in 2025, with an assumed average price of RMB 420, which will result in a market space of RMB 17.9 billion.
According to OFweek, the top five suppliers in 2018 are Bosch, Continental, HELLA, Fujitsu Ten and Nidec, which together account for 68% of the market share. The 77GHz radar market in China is dominated by Continental, Bosch and Delphi, which together account for about 80% of the total shipments.
77GHz Millimetre Wave Radar Products from Major Manufacturers
Bosch is a leader in the field of millimetre wave radar.The front-positioned MMR can be applied to automatic driving functions such as preemptive emergency braking, self-adjusting cruise control, and distance indication, while the middle- and rear-positioned MMRs can be applied to automatic driving functions such as lane-change assistance and rear intersection warning. Bosch's millimetre wave radar has a wide range of customers, including Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Nissan, Fiat and Porsche, etc. Domestic companies such as Geely and Changan are also Bosch's customers. In August this year, Bosch announced the establishment of an automotive R&D centre in Limerick, Ireland. The initial planning of the R&D centre will be used to develop 77GHz radar sensor chips. As a leading supplier of millimetre-wave radar, Bosch's move also proves that ‘good people work harder than you’. Bosch's deployment of 77GHz radar sensors also shows its trust and optimism in the development prospect of 77GHz radar.
Continental is driving alongside Bosch in the field of millimetre wave radar. At present, Continental's millimetre wave radar products have been developed to the fifth generation, and the maximum detection distance of the fifth generation long range radar can reach 300 metres. In terms of customers, CHC's customers include Toyota, Ford, GM, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, BMW, Volvo, Cadillac, etc. Among the domestic companies, Guangzhou Automobile Group, Dongfeng Motor, etc. are also CHC's customers.
In 2020, HELLA focused on promoting the mass production of its 77GHz millimetre wave radar. HELLA's 77GHz millimetre wave radar has already received a number of mass production orders, and has begun to supply a number of international automobile manufacturers, thus further expanding its market position in the field of radar sensor technology. In May this year, HELLA launched a new 77 GHz millimetre wave radar sensor, and HELLA's electronics factory in Hamm, Germany, has begun production of the latest 77 GHz millimetre wave radar for an international automotive manufacturer. Currently, HELLA is developing a second-generation 77 GHz radar, which will be produced for another German high-end manufacturer in 2024. ‘With our innovative 77 GHz radar sensors, we will continue to drive the trend towards automated driving,’ says Björn Twiehaus, a member of HELLA's Board of Management.
Delphi's millimetre-wave radar is based on 77 GHz and uses a more conventional hardware solution with higher costs and decent performance.
Achievements of Domestic Manufacturers' Layout
With the accelerated progress of China's integrated circuit industry in the past two years and the onslaught of automotive intelligence, the future development prospect of in-vehicle millimetre wave radar is promising, and more and more Chinese enterprises are joining the layout of millimetre wave radar field. According to CICC research, China's automotive millimetre wave radar market is expected to reach 11.4 billion yuan in 2025, with a CAGR of 19% from 2020 to 2025. Many domestic companies have started to get involved in the market in recent years.
Domestic manufacturers have also seized the 77GHz millimetre wave radar wind. Although the start is relatively late, domestic 77GHz millimetre wave radar has started to enter the mass production stage one after another, and has gained the trust and recognition of customers.
In June this year, Dexerials said that the 77GHz millimetre wave radar has been in mass production. Previously, Dexerials also indicated that the 77GHz millimetre wave radar has been ordered by independent brand automobile enterprises.
LeiDefender has achieved the capability of mass production and mass supply of 77GHz automotive millimetre wave radar products. The company's 77GHz high-precision millimetre wave radar products are in contact with Azure. In addition, LeiDefender's 77GHZ millimetre wave radar automatic production line is expected to be completed and put into production by the end of the year, and the production capacity will reach 1.2 million sets per year at full load after completion.On 4 July 2018, at the Baidu AI Developer Conference, Baidu officially announced that LeiTech Defence's wholly-owned subsidiary, Polytechnic LeiTech, has made its 77GHz millimetre wave automotive collision radar the first domestic millimetre wave radar to be a partner of Baidu's Apollo ecology. The first domestic millimetre wave radar.
The 77GHz millimetre wave radar board of Huayu Automobile will be in mass production for passenger cars in 2020. In fact, Huayu Automobile started the research and development of millimetre wave radar as early as 2011.
Sensitech's 77GHz in-vehicle millimetre wave radar board, with the grand launch of FAW Red Flag's latest masterpiece, HS5, in 2019, has become the first ADAS millimetre wave radar sensor in China to be truly ‘on the road’.
On 15 August 2019, MNT officially announced that the first 77GHz millimetre-wave automotive radar sensor has achieved large-scale mass production, and its self-invested automotive radar fully automated production line was officially opened.
In addition, on the commercial landing in the international market, on November 2, Xingyidao was awarded the fixed-point procurement by the Korean partner Erae, supplying two 77Ghz radar products for passenger cars of a certain Asian OEM, and the first batch of products has been successfully delivered recently, which has struck the first shot of domestic millimetre-wave radar to go to the sea. Earlier, the first-generation 77GHz millimetre wave radar AMRR100 (Galileo 100) has already been shipped in mass production.
Nowadays, the electronic and automation of automobiles has become a trend, and the safety of driving has become more and more important, the development of 77GHz radar sensors has a bright future. With half of the market dominated by foreign manufacturers, 77GHz millimetre wave radar from domestic manufacturers has also torn a piece of heaven and earth in this wave of automotive intelligence. As the imagination of millimetre wave radar grows bigger and bigger, domestic manufacturers should seize the opportunity to invest more and more in research and development, and remain steadfast even in the face of difficulties and obstacles.