77GHz millimeter wave radar localization still need to go through what obstacles?

"With the gradual implementation of domestic automotive active safety related policies, as well as the rapid penetration of automotive intelligence to low-end models, it seems that 77GHz millimeter wave radar has a huge market, but domestic 77GHz radar manufacturers are difficult to benefit from it in a short time." Leibotek general manager Li Hong told "Gaogong intelligent car".

Founded in 2014, the company focuses on the research and development of 24GHz millimeter wave radar, and 77GHz millimeter wave radar is in the research and development stage. The R & D team is mainly from the military radar background and the talents of the National University of Defense Technology, its 24GHz millimeter wave radar development after the BSD has shipped more than 7,000 sets.

Li Hong believes that the 77GHz millimeter wave radar market seems lively, but it is not mature. In the past, the high-frequency millimeter wave radar chip has been in a state of embargo control for a long time in China, and it is difficult to have the opportunity to contact and develop in China, resulting in the late establishment of domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar enterprises, small volume, and most of them have no pre-installation experience.

Lebotek general manager Li Hong

From the point of view of the Oems, they are more inclined to choose some enterprises with the ability to take risks. At present, the domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar enterprises are temporarily difficult to enter the Oems system, mainly in the following aspects.

Technology is harder than expected, and some entrepreneurs will be out of business

77GHZ millimeter wave radar technical barriers are high, in addition to the hardware process itself, MMIC chip and antenna PCB board are technical difficulties.

Front-end monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) : It includes a variety of functional circuits, such as low noise amplifiers (LNA), power amplifiers, mixers, and even transceiver systems. It has the characteristics of low circuit loss, low noise, wide frequency band, large dynamic range, large power, high additional efficiency and strong anti-electromagnetic radiation ability.

The key component of millimeter wave radar front-end monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology is controlled by foreign semiconductor companies, while the high-frequency MMIC is only in the hands of a few foreign chip manufacturers such as Infineon and Freescale. The domestic Xiamen Yi Line and Nanjing Miller are developing radar MMIC, and the relevant performance is still to be verified.

77GHz radar antenna requires high specification, high frequency PCB board: the mainstream solution of millimeter wave radar antenna is microstrip array, simply put, the high frequency PCB board is integrated on the ordinary PCB substrate to achieve the function of the antenna, the need to maintain sufficient signal strength of the antenna in a small integration space.

At present, only a few companies in the world such as Rogers, Schweizer and Taconic have relevant technologies. Domestic PCB board companies include Xingsen Express, Hudian, Shennan, which is still in its infancy, among which Hudian and Schweizer have cooperation, and the technology is more advanced.

How does domestic 77GHz millimeter wave Radar break through?

Li Hong believes that more optimistic about the military technology background of enterprises. Because the domestic radar in the military field has a high technical level and mass production experience, technical personnel who have participated in military radar projects can develop 77GHz millimeter wave radar faster;

The team composed of some academic doctors and other theoretical talents who have not participated in the overproduction radar project is difficult to convert theoretical knowledge into products, which requires a lot of project experience, and when the funds are exhausted, they can not come up with products, and may face the danger of being out.

Long pre-assembly test cycle

Although 77GHz millimeter wave radar has a huge market demand, it is difficult for domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar to get OEM orders.

Because 77GHz is mainly used in forward AEB/LKA and other active control ADAS, compared with other early warning ADAS, 77GHz directly affects driving safety, and Ovens are more inclined to choose radar companies with front-loading cases. In addition, the host production has a long test period for the domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar.

Li Hong said that the Double Ten agreement (supplier loading completed 10W km test, OAR loading completed 100,000 km test) is just an appetizer, other agreements, test process, mass production cycle, etc., still need a lot of time, from the test to the mass production of the car takes at least 3 years. Moreover, the Oems are very strict, and will not give the test company the opportunity to make mistakes during the testing process.

Chip subject to people, how to talk about mass production?

At present, there is no domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar chip that can be mass-produced, and most domestic radar companies use the generation of chips from Infineon and TI.

Li Hong believes that the use of imported chips to complete the domestic 77GH millimeter wave ray can not be counted as mass production, nor is it competitive in the market, because there is a close business relationship and capital relationship between millimeter wave radar chip giants such as Infineon and TI and radar manufacturers such as Bosch and Mainland.

If the domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar and Bosch, Continental, Delphi, Denso, TRW, Fujitsu, Hitachi and other companies form a competitive relationship, then Infineon, TI and other chip companies may increase prices, limited supply or stop supply and other ways to ensure the interests of Bosch, Continental and other core partners.

From the perspective of business game, there is a certain market risk in the future of domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar.

In terms of price, at present, Bosch 77GHz millimeter wave radar only needs about 1500 yuan, two years ago its price was about 2700 yuan.

If the domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar can be shipped in bulk, its cost will also be higher than Bosch, Delphi, Mainland and other enterprises. At this time, Bosch, Delphi, Mainland and other companies will 77GHz millimeter wave radar down to about 1,000 yuan, or even lower.

Domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar is not mature enough in terms of enterprise size, technical level, bidding advantage or market maturity, and it will take some time for Oems to really install domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar.

So, how do radar manufacturers survive the winter? After which radar manufacturers can get priority Oems favor? Li Hong believes that the application of BSD and multi-field technologies after research and development can continue to create blood for enterprises. Leibotek's product applications also include airport runway monitoring radar, special scene security radar, post-installation BSD radar and other fields, and the next is to play a protracted war.

But the opportunity is always left to the prepared enterprises.

The Oems said that although they will not purchase domestic 77GHz millimeter wave radar in bulk, the market demand is still strong.

They will select some 77GHz mm Boer radar manufacturers in advance, load cars on smaller models, establish long-term cooperation, and then gradually apply to other mainstream models according to market feedback and the technical level of domestic radar enterprises, mass production scale, price, etc.