A Modulation-Based Radar Target Simulator and Its Hardware Nonidealities

Increasing demands in radar sensor performance for automotive applications require reliable test solutions for the development and verification. In this paper, a modulation-based radar target simulator suitable for automotive settings is presented. A cost-effective circuit with low complexity is proposed that modulates the radar signal directly in the E-Band without an intermediate frequency stage. Models are derived for predicting the limitations of such radar target simulators due to hardware nonidealities. The introduced radar target simulator is analyzed with respect to the derived nonidealities in order to predict its performance based on the models. As a verification, radar measurements with the target simulator are conducted, and compared with the models’ predictions.