Ultrasonic radar is an extremely common sensor . If ultrasonic radar sounds unfamiliar, it has a more common name—reversing radar.
01 Definition
Ultrasonic radar is an extremely common sensor. If ultrasonic radar sounds unfamiliar, it has a more common name—reversing radar. It is a safety aid device for parking or reversing a car, which can inform the driver of the surrounding obstacles with sound or a more intuitive display, eliminating the trouble caused by the driver having to look around when parking, reversing, and starting the vehicle, and helping the driver eliminate blind spots and blurred vision.
02 Working Principle
Ultrasonic radar works by measuring the time difference between emitting ultrasonic waves and receiving them at a receiver. Currently, commonly used probes operate at frequencies of 40kHz, 48kHz, and 58kHz. Generally, higher frequencies result in higher sensitivity but smaller detection angles in both horizontal and vertical directions; therefore, 40kHz probes are typically used. Ultrasonic radar is waterproof and dustproof, unaffected by small amounts of mud or sand. Its detection range is between 0.1 and 3 meters, and its high accuracy makes it ideal for parking applications.
Type 03
There are two common types of ultrasonic radar. The first type is mounted on the front and rear bumpers of a car, which is used to measure obstacles in front of and behind the car; this type is called UPA in the industry. The second type is mounted on the sides of the car, used to measure the distance to obstacles on the sides; this type is called APA in the industry. UPA and APA have very similar detection ranges and detection areas, as shown in the diagram below. The car in the diagram is equipped with eight UPAs (front and rear) and four APAs (left and right sides).
UPA ultrasonic radar typically has a detection range of 15-250cm and is mainly used to measure obstacles in front of and behind a vehicle. The figure shows a schematic diagram of the detection range of a single UPA.
The detection range of APA ultrasonic radar is generally between 30 and 500 cm. APA has a longer detection range, therefore it is more expensive and requires more power than UPA. The diagram shows the detection range of a single APA. The superior detection range of APA allows it to detect not only obstacles on the left and right sides, but also to determine the existence of parking spaces based on data returned by the ultrasonic radar.
04 Development Trends
Currently, most car models are equipped with ultrasonic radar, which is the reversing radar UPA. However, with the rise of the concept of autonomous driving in recent years, ultrasonic-based automatic parking functions are gradually entering the public eye, and the market for APA will gradually open up.
05 Strengths and Weaknesses
1. Advantages: Ultrasonic waves consume energy slowly, travel a long distance in a medium, have strong penetration, and the ranging method is simple and low-cost.
2. Disadvantages: Ultrasonic radar has limitations in measuring distance at high speeds. This is because the transmission speed of ultrasound is easily affected by weather conditions; different weather conditions result in different transmission speeds, and the propagation speed is relatively slow. When a car is traveling at high speed, ultrasonic ranging cannot keep up with the real-time changes in distance to the vehicle, leading to larger errors. Furthermore, ultrasound has a large scattering angle and poor directionality, resulting in weak echo signals when measuring distant targets, affecting measurement accuracy. However, ultrasonic ranging sensors have significant advantages in short-range measurements.
06 Application
Currently, BMW's latest i-series and 7-series already support remote automatic parking via the car key. During operation, the user only needs to issue two commands: forward or reverse. The car will continuously use ultrasonic sensors to detect parking spaces and obstacles, automatically operating the steering wheel and brakes to achieve automatic parking. Volkswagen's third-generation ultrasonic semi-automatic parking system typically uses 6-12 ultrasonic radars. Four short-range ultrasonic radars at the rear of the car are responsible for detecting the distance between the vehicle and obstacles when reversing, while a long-range ultrasonic radar on one side is responsible for detecting parking space.
A typical car reversing radar system requires four ultrasonic sensors. An automatic parking system, however, adds four ultrasonic parking assist sensors and four automatic parking assist sensors to the reversing radar system. According to data from Yiche.com and the Research and Development Department of CITIC Securities, 6,508 car models are currently equipped with reversing radar, accounting for 78.99% of the total 8,239 models, indicating a high penetration rate and a market size of approximately 3.3 billion RMB.
Major manufacturers of ultrasonic radar modules include Bosch, Valeo, Taiwan Tongzhi Electronics, Shenzhen Hangsheng Electronics, and Shenzhen Haoun. The market share of ultrasonic sensors in radar is mainly held by Bosch, Murata (Japan), and Nicera (Japan). Audiway (listed on the NEEQ) is a leading domestic manufacturer of ultrasonic sensors. In 2016, Audiway sold 26.27 million automotive ultrasonic sensors. The global market size for automotive ultrasonic sensors is approximately 274 million units, meaning Audiway's automotive ultrasonic sensors accounted for 9% of the global passenger car market share. Audiway's largest customer is Taiwan Tongzhi Electronics. Founded in 1979 and listed in 2009, Taiwan Tongzhi Electronics' main products include reversing radar, tire pressure monitoring systems, and anti-theft devices. Its core product is reversing radar, for which it holds the largest market share in Asia.
Traditional ultrasonic radar is mostly used in reversing radar applications, a market largely dominated by Bosch and Valeo. While many domestic manufacturers exist, very few can penetrate the OEM market. The technical principles of ultrasonic radar are not inherently difficult; the main difference between domestic and international manufacturers lies in the stability and reliability of the sensor implementation. In this regard, domestic manufacturers still have a long way to go and need to accumulate more experience.
One market segment consists of traditional reversing radar products that only predict the distance to obstacles. This market is characterized by low technological barriers and low added value. Its main profits come from large-scale mass production and effective reduction of hardware and production costs. In this market for ordinary ultrasonic sensors, suppliers capable of independently manufacturing the core components of the sensors are far more competitive in terms of product cost than suppliers who outsource these components. Currently, domestic manufacturers with this capability are primarily internationally renowned traditional automotive parts suppliers such as Bosch and Valio.
Another market segment supports advanced features such as emergency braking, erroneous acceleration, and 360-degree collision avoidance. Only these types of ultrasonic sensor products possess the fundamental conditions for integration with vision systems. This is also a product capable of ultimately achieving Level 2 fully automated and intelligent parking. Currently, only two internationally renowned manufacturers possess this capability in this market. Due to the long development cycle inherent in the automotive industry, based on models already in or recently mass-produced, the market share of ordinary ultrasonic radar will continue to grow slowly in the coming years as passenger vehicle production increases annually.
However, due to the low unit price of ordinary radar products, and with the market demand for automatic and intelligent parking, as well as the upgrading of new models, ultrasonic radar with advanced functions will experience explosive market demand growth. It is estimated that by 2022, the market penetration rate of high-end products will reach 55%, with a market size of approximately 20 billion yuan.
Related companies
1. Bosch Company
Bosch offers ultrasonic radar, reversing radar, semi-automatic parking, and fully automatic parking systems. Ultrasonic radar increases the overall detection range and improves refresh rate. Each ultrasonic radar has a unique code to prevent noise and enhance accuracy. The sixth-generation ultrasonic radar can effectively detect low-lying objects that the fifth-generation product could not. Bosch's automotive ultrasonic sensors have a detection range of 20-450 cm.
2. Valeo
Valeo has ten years of mass production experience with ultrasonic radar, and its short-range ultrasonic radar has a coverage range of 2-4 meters. Its latest generation Park4U automatic parking system is based on ultrasonic radar and offers both parallel and corner parking modes. Only 40 centimeters of space needs to be left in front of and behind the vehicle for the system to automatically complete the parking process. Its customers include numerous OEMs such as Land Rover, Kia, and Volkswagen Touran.
3. Tongzhi Electronics
Tongzhi Electronics mainly produces automotive reversing radar, remote central control, rearview camera, and intelligent car rearview mirror. It is a supplier to major domestic automobile manufacturers (such as Shanghai GM, Shanghai Volkswagen, Dongfeng Nissan, SAIC Motor, Shenlong Automobile, Chery Automobile, Geely Automobile, Ford Automobile, etc.) and is currently the number one supplier of reversing radar OEM market in Asia.
4. Guangzhou Audiway
Guangzhou Audiway is a company established for 19 years. UPA ultrasonic sensors are one of Audiway's main products. In 2017, Audiway sold nearly 30 million ultrasonic sensors, accounting for nearly 30% of the Chinese automotive market and approximately 9.59% of the global automotive reversing radar sensor market.
