Growth Market: Waveguide Antennas Push Automated Driving

For automated – and future – autonomous driving, it is important to ensure that all sensors provide reliable and highly precise results in object detection. One challenge must still be solved throughout Europe: There are currently no uniform and standardized approaches for an effective and efficient validation and calibration of sensors and processing chains. But a solution is within reach: For several months now, the incubator team has been working on the joint RepliCar project with renowned partners from industry and research. The name stands for “Reference sensor technology for high-precision sensor validation for automated driving”. Jens Hofmann, Strategic Product Manager, explains: “Our role is to collaborate with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Offenburg University of Applied Sciences to develop a modular design approach for constructing large high-resolution antennas from smaller antenna modules, which can be produced through injection molding.” In practice, this means that high-resolution antenna arrays can be built from smaller and inexpensively produced identical parts. Hofmann adds: “They are an important building block in the future portfolio of our incubator.”

Target market: Automotive Tier 1. Product development, testing, functional analysis and series production

In order to optimally meet the customers’ requirements for the development of the antenna modules, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies offers two service models: For orders that include the design of the complete antenna module hardware and sensor integration, the program team is starting from the waveguide channel routing and design of the emitters. These are specified by the industrial customer. With a view to the future feasibility of large-scale production, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is taking qualified development statuses into account in the creation of the customer specific antenna design. The customers also benefit from simulation options with regard to operating behavior. In contrast, Tier 1 customers with in-house antenna development already have their own product designs and benefit from the wide-ranging consulting expertise of the incubator program team. Based on the high level of material and process know-how at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, it is also possible to create prototypes in the target technology for future series production. Marc Knapp, Director of the Waveguide Antennas incubator team, summarizes: “With our market positioning, we are focusing on the core competencies of the Freudenberg Business Group. We give our customers the opportunity to develop their own high-frequency designs and provide comprehensive support, from the design concept to series production. At the same time, we have a high level of expertise in design validation and environmental testing. Simply put, we have the experience and capacity to ramp up automotive series production with short lead times.”