NXP Semiconductors N.V. announced the latest addition to its 77-GHz radar portfolio. The NXP MR3003 radar transceiver is developed for front or corner radar applications in automated driving, where high resolution and long-range capabilities are needed.

“The MR3003 radar transceiver delivers superior RF output power, low noise, and multi-channel operation to enable radar sensors with increased range and improved resolution,” said Patrick Morgan, VP & GM Product Line ADAS Modems at NXP. “By implementing high performance products in both SiGe BiCMOS and RFCMOS technologies, NXP offers a unique and broad radar product portfolio that enables automakers to meet radar requirements across the full range of car models.”

At CES 2018, NXP and its partners will highlight two scenarios enabling broad applications for automotive radar sensors: 

1. A high-resolution imaging radar sensor concept based on a 12-channel TX and 16-channel RX design. Using multiple MR3003 radar transceivers connected inside a single radar sensor, the demonstration will highlight demanding RF performance requirements, including high output power, low noise, and scalability required to achieve high-resolution imaging radar sensing. Capable of tracking thousands of targets simultaneously, this radar scenario enables real-time sensing of the surrounding environment, essential for level 4 and level 5 autonomous driving.
2. A scalable radar platform to cover long-, mid-, and short-range radar requirements. Using a single NXP TEF81x RFCMOS radar transceiver along with the S32R274 processor, the demonstration will highlight the high performance, ultra-compact design, and low power consumption to enable up to 12-20 radar sensors to be connected together around the car.

The NXP radar portfolio  includes radar transceivers, microcontrollers, power management ICs, and networking ICs. The MR3003 radar transceiver features superior output power and low noise figure to allow for short or long detection range. Low phase noise and excellent linearity enable superior separation of objects. In addition, three TX channels with precise phase rotators allow each channel to transmit independently for detection of multiple targets simultaneously, including beam steering. Transceiver cascading options allow multiple transceivers to be connected together inside a single radar sensor, enabling high-resolution multi-channel imaging radar applications and real-time environmental mapping.