77 GHz automotive radar sensors: Antenna concept for angular measurements in azimuth and elevation

A fast and precise determination of the DOA (direction of arrival) for immediate object classification becomes increasingly important for future automotive radar generations. Hereby, the elevation angle of an object is considered as a key parameter especially in complex urban environments. An antenna concept allowing the determination of object angles in azimuth and elevation is proposed and discussed in this contribution. This antenna concept consisting of a linear patch array and a cylindrical dielectric lens is implemented into a radar sensor and characterized in terms of angular accuracy and ambiguities using correlation algorithms and the CRLB (Cramer Rao Lower Bound).