Implementation of Range Doppler Migration Synthesis for Radar Target Simulation

As autonomous driving is evolving faster than ever, automotive radar sensors gain even more importance as their ability to detect objects in range and velocity makes them indispensable for environment sensing. In order to verify the sensors’ operational behavior, a test environment with the ability to simulate real world scenarios is required. Radar Target Simulators (RTS) are capable of performing end-of-line, over-the-air validation tests by looping back a received and afterwards modified radar signal. Nonetheless, RTS systems published to date lack the ability to generate authentic radar targets with respect to their characteristic of range Doppler migration (RDM). The paper at hand presents a digital RTS system that incorporates a concept to synthesize the RDM phenomenon. Its performance is evaluated through a measurement campaign.