Autonomous Cars:

Radar, Lidar, Stereo Cameras

 CAMERAS FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

1 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Role of Cameras in Automotives
Camera module market ~$25B in 2015, expected to double by 2025 (Yole)
Machine Vision integration with multiple sensors for ADAS and partial
autonomous driving
Disadvantages of cameras
• Environmental conditions can introduce problems
• Difficulty in detecting non- illuminated and varying lighting conditions
• Computer vision limitations for reliable detection

2 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 CMOS image sensors for Automotive are
quite different from Consumer Electronics
Improved Low light sensitivity by larger pixel size
Lower resolution (it’s not about Mega pixels)
Fast response time (significantly faster than smartphone cameras

Packaging Differences
• Embedded logic in image sensor package
• Ceramic packages for higher functional safety requirements Source: Yole

3 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Challenges
Fast image acquisition
Stereo camera for depth and distance of the object in image plane
High resolution AND high speed
• Resolution: greater than 1k x 1k pixels, aim for 4k x 4k
• Frame rate: 60 fps and higher for shorter reaction time
Zoom into image area for a greater detail
Efficient image processing for real-time analysis
Wider field of view than radar or laser systems

4 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Cameras in Current Cars (Bosch)

Bosch‘s mono and stereo camera system: smallest currently

available in the market. Has a 50-degree horizontal field of view for
50m distance.

Bosch’s stereo camera system

5 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala
 Cameras in Current Cars (Panasonic)
Stacked CMOS imaging chip and processing electronics in one package
Compact enough to fit within rearview mirror assembly or behind the windshield
Low cost high resolution cameras, but limited speed
High speed cameras limited resolution
Circuits for efficient image processing for real-time analysis
Can be implemented with multiple units for stereo vision

Panasonic CMOS 34227 Sensor

6 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Prior Work at GT: 1st CIS DEMONSTRATOR on
LOW COST 3D GLASS PACKAGE
100um Thin Glass Substrate

Wafer Level Camera on Top Side

Thin Logic Emulator IC on bottom side

Solder reflow at chip level

Passed initial tests at Georgia Tech

<1mm total thickness (3x reduction from

PWB integration)

10x higher I/Os for integrating multiple

sensors, logic, memory etc.
7 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala
 Thermal Control Using Glass Package
Glass limits lateral thermal spreading by design
Junction temperatures can be reduced by vertical copper vias
Heating of image sensor with IC stacking or silicon interposers
Without copper With copper

Glass

38C 58C 48C 50C

10mm x 10mm Test Chip Silicon

on Glass or Si Interposer

49.1C 49.4C 49.1C 49.4C

8 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala
 RADAR

9 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Why RADAR in NAE?
Roadmap for driver assistance functions

• Above functions Require radar sensors due to • Short, Medium and Long
their robustness in varying environmental Range RADAR Modules
conditions like rain, dust, or sunlight Critical to Fully Autonomous
Driving
(J. Hasch, "Driving towards 2020: Automotive radar technology trends," Microwaves for Intelligent Mobility
(ICMIM), 2015 IEEE MTT-S International Conference on, Heidelberg, 2015, pp. 1-4.)

10 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Automotive RADAR – Brief Intro
• Basic Architecture and Requirements
- Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) Doppler Radar
- 76 GHz – 81 GHz
- Severe Environment Conditions
- Long Term Reliability

Many challenges to device and design !!

Tx Transmit FMCW Signal

76-81 GHz
Rx

fb
Frequency

fd
fb Compare Received Signal with
fr
Transmitted Signal to Extract
fd fr Distance and Velocity

PROF. JOHN CRESSLER IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars 11

 Automotive RADAR Evolution
Active Components Evolution

GaAs Technology Silicon-based SiGe technology

• Improved RF performance at high freq.
• Destined to be the mainstream
• Discrete semiconductor components semiconductor technology millimeter-wave
1999 Mercedes-Benz MMIC blocks or even complete
• First manufacturer to use radar transceiver circuits
for autonomous cruise control
(ACC) system in S-class
Packaging Evolution

Chip on board wire bonding

Flip chip mounting on

substrate Courtesy of P. Chevalier

Evolution of SiGe Device Technology

(J. Hasch, E. Topak, R. Schnabel, T. Zwick, R. Weigel and C. Waldschmidt, "Millimeter-Wave Technology
for Automotive Radar Sensors in the 77 GHz Frequency Band," in IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory
and Techniques, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 845-860, March 2012.)
eWLB (embedded wafer
level
12 | IEEE-CPMT BGA) package
Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala
 Challenges in Automotive RADAR
Device Challenges Package Challenges

• Generation of sufficient output Low losses and reflections chip to substrate

power at high frequency Transition
• LNA demonstration Thermal dissipation
High Reliability
Low cost
77GHz 4-channel automotive radar
transceiver chip specification

• No LNA: High NF → Low SNR → Low

maximum detecting range of system

(H. P. Forstner et al., "A 77GHz 4-channel automotive radar

transceiver in SiGe," Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits
Symposium, 2008. RFIC 2008. IEEE, Atlanta, GA, 2008, pp. 233-
236. )

13 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Status of Automotive RADAR Products

Bosch LRR2 Sensor Bosch LRR3 Sensor

Bosch LRR3 Sensor
• SiGe MMICs instead of Gunn oscillators and discrete mixer diodes
• Size and package complexity reduction

14 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Latest Automotive RADAR Products

• Frequency band 76-77 GHz Bosch Mid Range Radar (MRR) Sensor
• Distance range up to 160 meters
• Integrates two electronic boards and STMicroelectronics devices
• RF board with Hybrid PTFE/FR4 substrate and equipped with planar antennas
• Infineon 77GHZ SiGe Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMIC) used as High-Freqency
transmitter and receiver

15 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Recent Automotive RADAR Packaging Technologies
Infineon RRN7745P & RTN7735P eWLB Fan-out Package - 77GHz Radar Dies

The radar receiver die is packaged in an eWLB (embedded

Wafer Level BGA) package, Fan-Out technology from
Infineon.

Die
3mm x
3mm

Back view Package cross-section

16 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

Proposed High Linearity Low Noise RX

One of the first Radar modules

to integrate LNA in front end
Leading Edge SiGe Receiver
Employ Advanced SiGe Node

Use Novel Circuit Design

Incorporate High Gain High Linearity

LNA

Current Design Phase

LNA layout modification Block Diagram
PROF. JOHN CRESSLER IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars 17
Proposed High-Linearity LNA

IN
IBM 9HP 90nm technology
3 cascaded cascode stages VB1_13
Fully differential to improve CMRR
Input transformer balun: GND
VB2_13
- Provide RF ESD protection and
differential signal
GND GND
Inter-stage matching with transformers
Variable gain
VB1_2 VCC
- Improve input P1dB

VB2_2
Area: 0.6mm x 1 mm
VCC: 2.5V
OUT
PROF. JOHN CRESSLER IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars 18
LNA Initial Design and Simulation
Transistor Sizing: 6um, 8um, 10um Simulation Results

P1dB
S-param
Gain 17.3 dB
NF 6.221 dB
3dB Freq 56GHz-94GHz
DC Power 91.5 mW
Input P1dB -14.5 dBm

NF

PROF. JOHN CRESSLER IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars 19

 CONFIDENTIAL

GT Program Focus
The research objective is to design and demonstrate an ultra miniaturized low cost
integrated 77GHz radar & high speed camera module applying the most advanced
panel-level glass fan-out (PGFO) packaging technologies to the following parameters:
Cover glass
Antenna Incident light

77 GHz Radar Chip Glass Image sensor

Radar Module Processor Active area Camera Module

Properties Objectives Prior Art
Package type GFO FO-WLP/ Ceramic
Cost <1x 1.2x
Integrated Module
Reliability AEC Q100 Grade 1 AEC Q100 Grade 3
Thickness < 300 um > 500 um
Noise Figure 6-7 dB > 20 dB
Radar Gain 15 dB < 15 dB
Antennas Integrated in package Integrated in PCB
Data Rate ~ 1 Gbps <1 Gb/s
Camera
Response time < 1 ms >1 ms

Slide 20 IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars

 LIDAR

21 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Why Lidar for Automotive ?
Cameras and radar cannot ensure 100 % safety
Radars provide no object detection
Cameras depend on environmental conditions.
Lidar enables high precision detection in real time
Time of Flight lasers in Lidar are the most accurate for real time and
long range detection.

22 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Basics of Lidar

Starting a timer when the pulse

goes out and stopping by the Reflected
reflected pulse Laser Pulses

Fired Laser
Pulses

23 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Challenges

Cost reduction (see figure)

Miniaturization for easy integration in car body
High aperture angle – number of channels
Reliability by application of solid state lidar

24 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Lidar Products

Velodyne lidar system VLP-16

• Range: 100 m,
• Power consumption: ~8 W,
• Weight: 830 grams,
• Footprint:~Ø103 mm x 72 mm,
• 16 channels, ~300,000
points/sec,
• 360° horizontal field of view,
30° vertical field
• Accuracy: +/- 3 cm (typical)
• Rotating mirror inside
assembly,
• Laser: Class 1 – 903 nm
wavelength

25 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Lidar Products

Quanergy Solid-state LIDAR system

• Field of view is 120 degrees both horizontally and vertically.
• The minimum range is 10 cm, and the maximum range is at least
150 m at 8 percent reflectivity.
• At 100 meters, the distance accuracy is +/- 5 cm, and the
minimum spot size is just 9 cm.

Small (9 cm x 6 cm x 6 cm),
no moving parts

26 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala

 Solid State Lidar

Uses an optical phased array as a transmitter (no micro

mirrors), which steers laser pulses by shifting the phase.

27 | IEEE-CPMT Workshop – Autonomous Cars Prof. Rao R. Tummala