Automotive antenna evaluation

Antenna pattern based measurements have been performed in different types of anechoic chambers and open air measurement ranges for decades. In more recent years, the number and variety of antennas used on mass produced vehicles has been steadily increasing, with a corresponding growth in the importance of the performance of these antennas and systems. This paper discusses a number of available solutions to the problems faced by EMC and antenna engineers in the measurement of antennas mounted on a vehicle platform. The performance evaluation is based on both a measurement of the fundamental properties of the antennas, the interoperability of multiple embedded systems as well as the underlying EMC compliance.