The parking industry has ushered in a significant technological breakthrough.
On November 26, Chengdu KNOWNO Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “KNOWNO”) unveiled the world’s first mass-producible parking assistance solution based on Ultra-wideband (UWB) radar. This innovative solution is developed using UNISOC’s automotive-grade UWB chip UIW7710, introduced at its Global Partner Conference the same day, in conjunction with UIW7705, peripheral chip integrated with UIW7710. Vehicles adopting this solution will be equipped with four UWB radar sensors, which help enable functions previously delivered by traditional ultrasonic radars UPA and APA. This solution boasts key advantages, including precise height measurement, minimized blind spots, and a significantly higher detection success rate at speeds between 0 and 10 km/h.
Notably, the UWB-based parking assistance solution introduced by KNOWNO offers a lower hardware BOM cost compared to traditional ultrasonic radar solution (with 12 pieces of ultrasonic sensor (USS)). When factoring in considerations such as vehicle wiring and production, the overall system implementation becomes even more cost-effective.
More importantly, OEMs can further leverage this UWB-based parking solution to deliver various advanced features without adding any additional hardware. These include UWB digital key, foot-activated tailgate, electronic sentry mode, and even Automated Valet Parking (AVP) service.
Currently, major OEMs are accelerating the iterative upgrade of parking functions. Traditional ultrasonic radars are evolving from AK1 to AK2 which allows for more precise detection, and thus better identification and planning of parking space. However, due to the inherent limitations of ultrasonic waves—such as restricted detection accuracy and suboptimal user experience—the overall market penetration rate of Automatic Parking Assist (APA) systems remain relatively low.
UWB radar sensors, as an emerging force in the parking sector, undoubtedly offer OEMs fresh perspectives on selecting park assist solutions and expanding the use of APA service.
UWB technology boasts unique advantages, including centimeter-level positioning accuracy, high security against relay attacks, low latency, and strong resistance to multipath reflection and electromagnetic interference. Moreover, it is the only wireless technology simultaneously supporting positioning, radar application, and communication. As such, KNOWNO believes that UWB technology will not only shine in applications like digital keys and in-cabin occupancy detection but also hold tremendous potential and promising prospects in the field of parking solutions.
01 UWB Unlocking New Possibilities for Intelligent Parking
In the future, UWB radar is poised to replace ultrasonic radar as one of the mainstream sensors for intelligent parking assist systems.
It is well known that early automated parking solutions primarily relied on pure ultrasonic radar setups. However, with the rapid advancement of automotive intelligence and the growing demand for enhanced user experiences, the market has shifted from traditional AK1-based solutions to upgraded parking systems that integrate AK2 with vision fusion technologies.
According to Gaogong Intelligent Automobile Research Institute, traditional solutions with pure ultrasonic radar setups (12 pieces of USS) for intelligent park assist suffer from poor user experience and low efficiency, leading low utilization of intelligent park assist functions among car owners. Meanwhile, fusion-based parking solutions (with 4 pieces of surround-view cameras and 12 pieces of USS) are primarily marketed as “high-tech configurations” to differentiate vehicle trims. However, due to the limited accuracy of ultrasonic radars and cameras, as well as algorithmic errors, current automated parking systems in the market struggle to be “practical” and also fully address the challenges of “difficult parking” faced by car owners.
In comparison, UWB radars feature remarkably clear advantages. To be specific, the single UWB sensor developed by KNOWNO, utilizing a unique antenna design, enables a field of view (FOV) of up to 170°. This innovation surpasses the limitations of traditional UPA/APA systems, redefining detection based on actual usage scenarios. It minimizes blind spots at the corners and greatly enhances parking efficiency, especially in complex and challenging environments.
In low-speed parking scenarios (0–10 km/h), due to the inherent characteristics of electromagnetic waves and Doppler-based dynamic sensing, UWB radar demonstrates superior performance in ultra-low-speed detection compared to ultrasonic radar sensors. When parking at medium speeds (10–25 km/h), the UWB chip’s single-channel 1kHz refresh rate ensures more precise speed detection, making the solution well-suited for identifying parking spaces during rapid lateral vehicle movements.
In terms of height detection, UWB radars, capable of pitch angle detection, effectively sense and detect suspended obstacles behind the vehicle, enhancing path planning accuracy and obstacle detection, particularly in AVP scenarios. This feature positions UWB radars as superior to current ultrasonic sensors for height detection.
From the above analysis, it is evident that UWB radar outperforms ultrasonic radar in aspects such as distance detection and height sensing. This superior performance positions UWB radar as a promising alternative to ultrasonic sensors, paving the way for large-scale adoption in the parking field.
In response, Yang Hong, COO of KNOWNO, expressed that for the application in electric vehicles, UWB radar not only covers all scenarios of ultrasonic radar but also delves into some applications of millimeter-wave radar. UWB radar excels not only in detecting obstacles up to 6 meters away from the vehicle and even farther, but also possesses significant advantages in close-range detection. Specifically, it can accurately detect obstacles as close as 5-10 cm from the vehicle, with blind spots typically around 15 cm or possibly smaller depending on the actual installation position.
In fact, leveraging the advantages of UWB technology in traditional indoor positioning, the industry has also conducted relevant research and layout for future applications in AVP. It is known that UWB modules enable mutual position sensing between mobile phones and vehicles. Industry experts believe that UWB modules, if provided at parking lots, can also detect vehicle positions, thereby facilitating AVP service.
KNOWNO’s breakthroughs in UWB radar-based functions like obstacle detection and blind-spot monitoring have significantly lowered the implementation cost of indoor AVP solutions. UWB technology enabling ranging and sensing facilitate seamless integration between parking facilities and vehicles, enhancing parking operations.
02 Getting a Head Start in UWB Technology Adoption in Automotive Industry
According to Gaogong Intelligent Automobile Research Institute, an increasing number of OEMs such as BMW, Audi, and NIO are integrating UWB technology into their vehicles. UWB technology is poised for widespread adoption in the automotive industry.
For instance, in the realm of UWB digital keys, data from Gaogong Intelligent Automobile Research Institute indicates that from January to September 2024, 797,600 passenger vehicles in the Chinese market (excluding imports and exports) were equipped with UWB digital key as standard before delivery, showcasing a staggering 338% year-on-year increase and a rapid growth trend.
The mass-producible UWB radar-based parking system by KNOWNO allows OEMs to achieve hardware reuse in enabling functions like onboard radar, key, etc., thereby enhancing cost-effectiveness and efficiency at the vehicle system level.
KNOWNO, headquartered in Chengdu with branches in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, specializes in utilizing UWB technology for scene-based short-range wireless connectivity and spatial awareness applications. KNOWNO strategically collaborates with domestic and international semiconductor giants, concentrating on innovative solutions and advanced algorithms. KNOWNO consistently delivers UWB technology-based solutions to Tier 1 suppliers and their OEM clients, including digital keys, in-cabin occupancy detection, foot-activated tailgate systems, electronic sentry modes, static radars, rapid detection radars, and parking assistance radars.
“UWB technology is expected to find its way into a growing array of applications in the future”, stated Yang Hong. KNOWNO’s UWB radar can also function to complete mid-to-low-speed rapid detection. Within a 20-meter range, it replaces millimeter-wave radar to achieve functions like blind spot detection (BSD) and rear collision warning (RCW), offering significant cost reduction compared to conventional solutions. Yang Hong further highlighted that leveraging digital key anchors for RCW could yield additional cost savings.
Gaogong Intelligent Automobile Research Institute predicts that by 2024, the installed base of passenger vehicles in China, equipped with UWB digital key solutions as standard before delivery, will exceed 1.5 million units. By 2025, the penetration of the solutions in passenger vehicles is expected to exceed 15%. The advancements in UWB radar technology, spearheaded by companies like KNOWNO, are anticipated to further boost this penetration rate significantly.
It is widely acknowledged that despite the significant potential of UWB technology in automobile applications, its extensive adoption currently encounters numerous challenges such as cost-effectiveness and ecosystem collaboration. Yang Hong elaborated that domestically manufactured automotive-grade UWB chips have shown notable enhancements in performance and reliability, accompanied by considerable cost reduction. These advancements are poised to foster the widespread production and implementation of UWB technology-driven solutions.
For instance, the UIW7710, an automotive-grade UWB chip from UNISOC, stands out as one of the few domestically-manufactured high-performance UWB SoC chips. It incorporates an ARM Cortex-M33 core and features a 1T3R multi-antenna RF interface, facilitating high-precision positioning and directional sensing capabilities.
Obviously, mass production of domestically manufactured UWB chips will undoubtedly expedite the widespread UWB technology adoption in automobile market. KNOWNO, as a pioneer in specializing in leveraging UWB technology to integrate radar and communication technologies, has secured a significant first-mover advantage in this field.
If you have any interest in this technology, please contact knowno with [email protected] or [email protected]
Company Name: Chengdu Knowno Technology Co.,Ltd
Website: https://www.knowno.com/
Telephone: 008613916164988
Contact: YOUNG YANG
Email Address: [email protected]
Website of Source: https://www.knowno.com/
Source: Story.KISSPR.com
Release ID: 1212576