LG Innotek announced that it has successfully developed the world's leading high-level "Radar module for automotive interiors". With this development, LG Innotek is able to take the lead in the global vehicle radar module market.
"Automotive Indoor Radar Module" is an accessory that uses radio waves to detect and sense the presence of living bodies and whether the vehicle is moving. It is made of various accessories such as radar chips, antennas, and communication chips on the substrate. It is mainly installed on the second-row roof and the interior mirror of the car.
Not only in Korea, but globally, the demand for interior sensing devices such as "radar modules for vehicle interiors" is surging. South Korea requires mandatory installation of safety devices on vehicles with children to confirm whether children get off safely, and Europe plans to add a child-riding sensor function test to new vehicle sales licensing standards from 2023. In order to prevent infants and young children from being left in the car, the United States is promoting the mandatory installation of the child ride sensing function from 2025. This trend is rapidly expanding to other countries.
Among the interior sensing devices for vehicles, the "Radar Module for Vehicle Interior" stands out. Unlike the camera, even if there are obstacles such as clothes and quilts, the laser can penetrate it to accurately sense the presence or absence of living bodies. Since the radio waves are used instead of pictures, there is no concern about invasion of privacy. Moreover, unlike the tedious operation of installing at least 5 pressure sensors and ultrasonic sensors, the radar module has the advantage of being able to sense accurately with only 1~2 sensors.
Not only that, but the module is also useful for autonomous vehicles. It can replace the driver to play a variety of roles, such as confirming whether the passenger is wearing a seat belt, reminding the time to get off the bus, etc. Therefore, global vehicle and vehicle accessories companies are actively discussing the introduction of this module.
● LG Innotek radar module has the world's leading high-level resolution to accurately identify objects
LG Innotek's "vehicle indoor radar module" has improved the resolution (Resolution, the degree of accurately distinguishing objects) by about 40% compared with the previous one, and the performance has reached the world's highest level. In addition, the signal processing time of the module is shortened by about 30% compared to the standard, allowing for faster sensing.
To improve performance, LG Innotek uses its own antenna design technology accumulated in the field of vehicle communication and a micro-signal sensing algorithm (no noise is excluded, and only accurate signals are selectively sensed).
In particular, the DX (Digital Transformation) applied computer program optimizes the antenna arrangement, and achieves 1.3 times higher antenna performance with the same number of antennas. In addition, the signal sensing error is optimized, and the software to improve the sensitivity of the micro signal is independently developed, which further improves the accuracy.
The module also has the advantage of flexible mounting positions. It can be installed anywhere the customer wants by changing only part of the antenna design. Existing products are troublesome to change the direction of the radio waves, and must be installed in the specified positions such as the second-row ceiling or the interior mirror.
● Airbags that can prevent infants from being left in the car and optimize the protection of passengers' lives
LG Innotek's "In-Vehicle Radar Module" can grasp the seating position and number of passengers in the front seat of the vehicle, biosignals, movements, etc. At present, commercial products can only sense the presence or absence of people, animals and other living bodies in the back seat.
Using the "Radar Module for Vehicle Interior" can prevent children from being left in the vehicle. This product has high accuracy and can even sense the subtle breathing of a 3-month-old baby. If a child remains in the vehicle, the driver will be informed immediately to minimize accidents.
In addition, this product also improves the safety of protecting the lives of passengers. With this product, custom airbags can be set up. Accurately grasp the position and volume of passengers, and adjust the airbag pressure according to adults and children to achieve optimization.
This product also helps prevent vehicle theft/break-in. Accurately grasp vital signs, and if an abnormal movement in or around the car is captured after parking, the driver can be reminded in time through a warning sound, smartphone, etc.
It also has the features required for autonomous driving (without a driver). A variety of functions can be realized, such as not starting if the passenger does not fasten the seat belt, or when the passenger falls asleep and does not get off in time when the passenger arrives at the destination, the chair vibrates to wake up the passenger, etc.
It is expected that more functions will be added in the future, such as the convenient control of indoor air-conditioning temperature, music volume and other in-vehicle devices using only gestures.
● "Leading the era of autonomous driving by innovating customer experience"
LG Innotek's policy is to proactively enter the radar module market by launching "Radar Modules for Vehicle Indoors". With the goal of commercialization by 2024, it will be actively promoted not only in Korea, but also to global vehicle and vehicle parts companies in the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Byaeng kuk Yoo, Director (Executive) of the Electrical Device Components Division, said, "It is difficult for existing products to accurately distinguish objects, but LG Innotek has overcome these limitations," adding, "LG Innotek's radar module for vehicle interiors will set off a huge market response. ". He also said, "In the future, we will also lead the launch of future vehicle accessories that can revolutionize the customer experience and lead the era of fully autonomous driving."
According to the statistics of Yole Development and Fuji Kimera, a global market research agency, the global vehicle radar module market will grow from 2.7 trillion won in 2020 to 22.3 trillion won in 2040, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 11%. In particular, the demand for "radar modules for automotive indoor use" is expected to grow rapidly, from 150,000 units in 2020 to 87 million units, an average annual growth rate of about 37%.
