SOC/FPGA: 4D full-range radar
The 4D radar developed by ZF supports the development of safe vehicles through the generated high-resolution point cloud. The SCS team implemented the required signal processing on a SOC/FPGA.
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Challenge
A 4D radar places the highest demands on the computing power of a hardware device. Pre-processing such as FFT and peak search are very well suited to be calculated in the FPGA/PL part of a modern MPSoC. The post-processing, e.g. tracking, can then be calculated on an ARM core of the device.
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Solution SCS
The algorithm to be implemented was developed by our customer's radar specialists. As an AMD Xilinx Premier Partner, SCS optimised, implemented and tested these algorithms for the Zynq Ultrascale+ architecture. SCS also supports the customer in the preparation of the ASIL documentation and the functional safety clarifications.
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Added value
The four-dimensional, high-resolution radar enables advanced safety and automated driving functions. The 192 channels have 16 times the resolution of a typical vehicle radar and enable highly detailed scene and object detection within a range of 350 metres.
The customer had a working prototype within a very short time to conduct initial tests. In the meantime, the radar was further developed in preparation for series production.
Project background
For the implementation of the algorithm on the FPGA, SCS carried out the following subtasks:
- Guided elaboration of an FPGA architecture for a specific algorithm
- FPGA RTL development
- Unit tests, test-driven development
- Integration tests
- Target tests / system tests
- continuous integration
- Peer Review
- FPGA implementation
- Complete Vivado scripting
- Timing optimisations
- Over 90% logic utilisation on an advanced MPSoC
- ISO26262 ASIL-B compliant
- Metrics calculation
- Development process (reviews, design documents)
- Third-party IP customisation
- Embedded SW
- Support for low-level software aspects (cache coherence, ECC)
- embedded test application based on freeRTOS
- Cybersecurity
- Third-party IP integration and integration testing
- ASPICE-compliant documentation
- Traceability
ZF Radar Background
The 4D full-range radar offers a resolution close to that of optical sensors, cameras or LiDAR. This at a competitive price, while offering the possibility of direct speed measurement and the ability to operate in difficult conditions (snow, fog, dust). Combined with these technologies, high-resolution radar can help ensure the necessary safety and reliability for semi- to highly-automated driving, including Level 4.
The imaging full-range radar offers high resolution in four dimensions: Distance, speed, horizontal angle and additionally the elevation angle (height). This makes the radar also an imaging technology in 3D, with speed as an additional fourth measurement dimension. The high-resolution 4D detection of the traffic situation helps, for example, a vehicle on the motorway to detect the end of a traffic jam under a bridge at an early stage and to brake accordingly.
From 2022, our customer will supply its new 4D full-range radar to the first OEM for a production electric SUV.
Additional information: https://press.zf.com/press/de/releases/release_25856.html
