Continental's 6th generation long-range radar, with a range of up to 250 meters
Detects and maintains performance even when mounted on the corner of a vehicle
Surround radar is under development and production is targeted for 2023.


Continental announced on the 16th that it will unveil its 6th-generation long-range radar and surround radar at the Shanghai Auto Show, which will be held in China on Wednesday, April 21st. The two radars share a software and hardware platform, reducing complexity and overall costs. This also reduces customer testing and development efforts. Performance has been improved compared to the 5th-generation radar.

The 6th-generation radar is a scalable solution, capable of detecting up to approximately 250 meters. It supports a range from a basic version that meets European NCAP requirements to a premium version that implements advanced automated functions, such as lane change. It is GSR (General Safety Regulation) compliant and can be used as a smart radar, processing data from sensors, or as a satellite radar, processing data from a central control unit, supporting a variety of vehicle architectures and types.

Continental is currently developing surround radar focused on 360-degree surrounding detection. It can detect up to a distance of about 200 meters, which officials say is longer than previous short-range radars and is expected to meet NCAP requirements for auxiliary systems.

The enhanced responsiveness of surround radar is expected to enable faster and more accurate detection of moving objects on the road. Its performance remains unaffected even when installed in difficult vehicle locations. Especially when installed on the side of a vehicle, surround radar will significantly enhance advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving performance.

To monitor a vehicle's surroundings with radar, radar must be installed at the front and rear corners of the vehicle and behind the painted bumper. However, implementation is challenging from a sensor technology perspective, as reflection and absorption effects from the bumper structure and coating can affect radar signals. Long-range radars typically installed at the front center of a vehicle are covered by a radome, a protective cover made of radio-frequency transparent plastic.

“The technology doesn’t work at the corners of the vehicle,” says Norbert Hammerschmidt, head of program management radar in Continental’s ADAS business unit, about the sixth-generation long-range radar. “We’ve implemented several patented solutions that increase the radar’s responsiveness, which allows us to achieve excellent detection reliability even when damped by painted bumpers at the corners.” He adds that the sensor is around 40 percent lighter than the fifth-generation sensor. The sixth-generation sensor measures approximately 70 × 55 × 20 millimeters.

The two new radars operate primarily at 77 GHz, but can also operate in the 77–81 GHz band. They also feature intelligent algorithms that filter out signals from other radar sensors and process only their own signals, even in complex road conditions. This is an important point as the installation rate of sensors inside and outside vehicles is gradually increasing.

Like fifth-generation sensors, sixth-generation long-range radars incorporate scalable, modular hardware and software. With a certain level of local sensor information, sensors can be integrated into different E/E architectures in the same manner. They also include automatic sensor alignment capabilities.

Production of the two new radars is scheduled to begin in 2023, and initial customer orders have already been received.