The number of autonomous vehicles is constantly increasing - and not just in the automotive sector. There are also mobile autonomous robots and drones, which are not only used by the military, but are also planned by companies such as Amazon for the delivery of goods. Semi-trailer trucks are also being developed that can transport products quickly and cheaply over thousands of kilometers 24 hours a day. There is no doubt that the future belongs to autonomous vehicles - but there are major technological challenges along the way.

Critical technologies for autonomous vehicles

It is estimated that billions of kilometers of practical road testing are required to prove the safety of an autonomous vehicle. At the current rate of progress, it would take centuries to complete the road tests. This is where technical simulation comes into play. It allows autonomous vehicles to be tested and analyzed in a risk-free, cost-effective and time-efficient virtual environment. These simulations must be able to capture the behavior of the vehicle in its environment at the highest level: This can be characterized as a "closed-loop simulation" - how does the vehicle "see", "think" and "act", controlled by artificial intelligence.

The simulation includes virtual cities and roads as well as sensors that act as the "eyes and ears" of the vehicle, control software and algorithms that make critical decisions. Driving dynamics also play an important role, based on the instructions of the software and algorithms. This simulation represents a continuous closed-loop process of what the vehicle senses, performs and how it maneuvers while driving. Of course, these closed-loop simulations can only be considered reliable if they contain accurate representations of all relevant components of the vehicle and its environment. Therefore, there are five important technical functions that support accurate virtual road testing:

- Sensor design,

- Optimization of the semiconductors,

- reliable electronics,

- safety-critical embedded software and

- the analysis of functional safety.

Sensors perceive the real world

Sensors are among the most critical components of an autonomous vehicle: they record and process large amounts of environmental data in real time and transmit it using signal processing. Common sensor types include radar, lidar, cameras and ultrasound. Testing and analyzing the performance of sensors is a major technical challenge: Radar sensors, for example, are usually mounted behind the bumper of a car, where their radiation behavior is distorted by the material properties and geometric configuration of the front end. In order to work reliably in different car models, the radar systems must be designed in such a way that they function smoothly under a wide variety of geometries and material properties. However, building and testing for each individual model is not feasible for reasons of time and cost.

The future belongs to autonomous vehicles - but the path to this future involves major technological challenges. © Ansys

Ansys offers a suite of radar and antenna simulation solutions designed to reproduce real-world performance with a high degree of accuracy. The software can predict sensor performance, whether the sensor system is mounted on a vehicle, in a static environment or being studied during a fast closed-loop simulation. There are also solutions for other sensor technologies such as ultrasound, which is used not least for parking assistance.

Optimization of semiconductor performance

Ansys enables the simulation of the semiconductor devices that underpin radar systems and support signal processing. Semiconductors underpin much of the functionality of autonomous vehicles, but the mass of electronics required can also cause performance issues. Power loss, electrostatic discharge, electromagnetic interference and thermal and structural stresses can all negatively impact the reliability and integrity of a product. For example, a temperature rise of 25 °C generally leads to a 3 to 5-fold deterioration in the expected service life of electronic devices.

Ansys' RedHawk 3DIC and PowerArtist can optimize the design of integrated circuits. They help engineers regulate electronics density and make smart trade-offs between product size, heat dissipation and overall product performance.