Emulation of Multipath Effects with Automotive Radar Test System

Radar sensors used in Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) need to function properly in dense clutter environments and at low grazing angles which makes multipath wave propagation scenarios a common occurrence. In this paper, a new usage of a Radar Target Simulator (RTS) for emulating multipath effects by synchronizing multiple point reflections to establish direct and indirect reflection paths is proposed. A simplified mathematical model to simulate multipath effects is implemented both in software and on the RTS. Measurements carried out with the RTS and an automotive radar are compared to the simulation and discussed. The measurements show a matching with a characteristic simulated interference pattern and show potential to be utilized for more complex modelling of multipath effects.