Child Presence Detection is a safety system designed to detect and alert if a child or pet is accidently left behind in the vehicle. In Europe, Euro NCAP is actively promoting CPD through its safety rating metrics. In China, CNCAP is similarly promoting CPD and in the US the Hot Cars Act has been passed – the NHTSA is now reviewing CPD guidance.
In-cabin radar based on UWB is being seen as an exciting technology solution for presence sensing, as its capable of detecting even micro movements right down to breathing rate. Using UWB radar sensors rather than alternative camera-based sensors also address the privacy concerns of in-cabin sensing systems, as well as supporting low-light operation.
In addition, by reusing the Secure Digital Key UWB anchor points which are increasingly common in automobiles, UWB-based CPD can be economically deployed across the automotive market - from premium to budget.
The CEVA UWB Radar solution is an add-on software package to the CEVA RivieraWaves UWB PHY and MAC IP. It delivers Breath Per Minute (bpm) detection for CPD with less than 1bpm resolution, exceeding the Euro NCAP requirements.
Leveraging a coherent demodulation architecture and advanced ranging algorithms, it Is capable of delivering exceptional distance and angle measurements in the complex in-cabin environment, enabling gesture recognition and intruder alarm features. The solution can be optimised for different environments, including a configurable number of antennas.
Designed for coexistence with the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) Digital Key, the solution permits reuse of Digital Key UWB anchor hardware.
Commenting Tal Shalev, Vice President and General Manager of the Wireless IoT BU at CEVA, said, "UWB Radar's ability to enhance safety through presence sensing applications is generating a lot of interest in the automotive industry and beyond. Our RivieraWaves UWB Radar IP lowers the entry barriers for the development of UWB Radar solutions that are cost- and power-efficient, and address privacy concerns. With support for FiRa and CCC and now Radar, the CEVA RivieraWaves UWB IP is a powerful enabler for chip designers looking to accelerate their solutions for these lucrative markets."
Global technology intelligence firm ABI Research forecasts that shipments of UWB enabled chips, including UWB Radar, will grow at a CAGR of 30% from 2022 to 2027 to surpass 1.4 billion units annually by 2027.
Beyond the car, the same UWB Radar technology can be used in applications requiring general Human Presence Detection, benefiting from the natural anonymity of radar sensing over alternatives such as vision-based detection. For example, cot infant monitoring, power-saving features for laptops and TVs, and general utility management in smart buildings.
The CEVA-RivieraWaves UWB is a low power ultra-wideband (UWB) MAC and PHY digital platform IP based on 802.15.4 HRP, the FiRa Consortium and the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) requirements.
It has been designed to deliver secure, centimetre-level accuracy and robust location information through Time-of-Flight (ToF) ranging and Angle-of-Arrival (AoA) processing. A flexible radio interface enables it to be deployed with customers' own RF technology or with CEVA partners' RF IP.
