Metamaterial Radome for Automotive Radar

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Automotive radar sensors represent a key emerging technology for a new generation of autonomous vehicles. These sensors will play a crucial role in the smart cities of connected electric vehicles of the future. This partnership project aims at significantly improving the power efficiency and accuracy of advanced automotive radar sensors at millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies.Despite the extensive research that exists in radome design, it is still not possible to consistently achieve small reflections and high positioning accuracy, as the radar beam is scanned off broadside to large scan angles. This is because most conventional radomes are based on isotropic electric-only materials such as plastics. In this project, we will use advanced metamaterial concepts and structures to devise new classes of radomes that can result in unprecedented performance compared to the state of the art.The benefits to Canada can be significant since Canada has a strong automotive sector and a vision for a future in smart cities. In this vision, autonomous electrical vehicles will play a key role to alleviate issues like climate change and traffic congestion in big cities. In particular, this project aims at improving the radomes that typically house these radar sensors to protect them from environmental conditions such as dust, humidity, rain and snow. Using advanced metamaterial concepts, we will develop a new class of radomes that will maximize angular scan coverage and accuracy, whereas conserving power by minimizing unwanted reflections.