NXP’s Premium Radar Software Development Kit Enhances Automotive Radar Sensor Capabilities

April 06, 2022

News

NXP Semiconductors announced the first release of radar signal processing algorithms as part of the new Premium Radar SDK (PRSDK).

The solution enables developers to enhance radar system performance, leveraging tight coupling of NXP’s advanced software algorithms with its latest S32R4x radar processor family for improved safety and differentiation. The proprietary radar algorithm library allows quick integration of proven algorithms into radar sensor applications, helping to speed radar sensor development and reduce R&D investment.

This initial release, expected to be available for evaluation during 2022, includes three algorithm packages with solutions for interference mitigation, MIMO waveform optimization and angular resolution enhancement. 

“We expect the triple acceleration of automotive radar to continue over the next decade, with more cars equipped with radar sensors, an increasing number of sensor nodes per car and more performant sensors being deployed,” says Huanyu Gu, Director Product Marketing and Business Development ADAS, NXP. “This megatrend presents several challenges for vehicle OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Specifically, it poses a need for interference mitigation, MIMO waveform optimization and augmented sensor resolution. NXP’s Premium Radar SDK’s advanced algorithms aim to address all these challenges, enabling customers to optimally leverage the S32R4x radar processor hardware.”

MIMO waveforms enable radar sensors with higher resolution and longer reach. These special modulation schemes allow more transmitters to operate simultaneously, coding the individual transmit antenna signals to ensure they can be differentiated on the receiver side. Moreover, higher resolution sensors are desired for both corner and front radar applications to support more accurate object separation and classification for use cases such as vulnerable road user detection or park assist functions. 

The Premium Radar SDK is a new software product derived from NXP’s history of radar innovation. It is planned to continue to evolve over time, expanding the list of algorithms through regular releases to accommodate emerging radar requirements and NXP’s future radar roadmap. The PRSDK implementation complies with International Automotive Quality Management standards IATF 16949:2016 & ASPICE Level 3 requirements. The deliverables allow user customization to meet the needs for individual adjustment and differentiation.

NXP offers OEM and Tier 1 suppliers two evaluation options under an evaluation license agreement. The MATLAB-based version delivers the algorithms as compiled code to allow developers to understand what the PRSDK does by feeding customer test vectors, computing, and visualization of the output vectors. Providing bit accuracy, the MCU-based evaluation option includes the algorithm binary files to run on the NXP target radar processor evaluation board and demonstrates the real time performance of the PRSDK. 

For more information, visit NXP.com/PRSDK