Vehicle Occupancy Detector Based on FMCW mm-Wave Radar at 77 GHz

Millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) radars are a solution in automotive applications, such as advanced driver assistance system (ADASs). This work explores the use of commercially available mm-Wave radar technology for in-cab vehicle applications. A framework for vehicle occupancy detectors based on mm-Wave radar at 77 GHz is presented. A multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar from Texas Instruments (AWR1642) is used. The system can detect the presence of people occupying the seats by measuring small movements of the body. To this end, the static clutter is removed; therefore, the point cloud returned by the radar contains information about the body. The radar is installed on the roof of the vehicle to have the maximum field of view of the seats. An algorithm that uses both the density and the dispersion of points around each seat is proposed to determine its degree of occupation. Experimental results have been presented for four- and five-seater vehicles with high accuracy.