Rohde & Schwarz, in partnership with IMST GmbH, has developed a patented digital twin solution to optimize automotive antenna placement, significantly enhancing connectivity within vehicles.
Smart Device Management Dpt. BMW Group Munich, Germany)
Automotive antenna integration has long been a complex and time-consuming process. Vehicle manufacturers face difficulties in accurately simulating and measuring antenna performance due to the confined environment of a vehicle. To address this, Rohde & Schwarz, alongside IMST, offers a three-step solution combining precise physical measurements with advanced electromagnetic simulation, resulting in optimal antenna design and positioning.
The solution is particularly beneficial for vehicle manufacturers, antenna suppliers, and automotive engineers who aim to improve connectivity while reducing development time. It addresses challenges faced by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers responsible for ensuring high-performance wireless communication systems. By optimizing antenna placement, the solution supports manufacturers in developing advanced automotive systems with reliable in-vehicle wireless coverage, such as Wi-Fi, 5G, and infotainment systems.
The first step involves characterizing the physical antenna using specialized equipment like the R&S ZNA vector network analyzer and the R&S AMS32 software. The data collected is then used to create a digital twin using IMST’s Near Field to Far Field Transformation Algorithm (FIAFTA). This process concludes with a 3D electromagnetic simulation via EM-TWIN software, ensuring high accuracy in the virtual environment.
The digital twin solution reduces both cost and development time by enabling faster simulations. “The patented EM-TWIN digital antenna twin source technology provides an exceptional high level of modeling accuracy,” explains Rohde & Schwarz. Simulations are completed in hours, not days, allowing manufacturers to streamline validation processes. This enables antenna designers to consider production tolerances and reflections from vehicle bodies, improving performance across various vehicle configurations.
By identifying the best antenna location before the physical vehicle is built, manufacturers can avoid costly development cycles and ensure consistent wireless performance for users. Traditional methods of antenna measurement are often unreliable, but this process overcomes those limitations with high precision.
To put in brief, the collaboration between Rohde & Schwarz and IMST offers a time-efficient, cost-effective way for automotive industry players to optimize antenna design, ensuring better connectivity and performance even before prototypes are available.
