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Automotive RADAR and LIDAR are two examples of sensor technologies used to observe the environment and detect objects surrounding the host vehicle, in order to enable ADAS. Naturally, the use of sensors in order to enable systems intended to protect and support the driver or improve their comfort entails stringent requirements; not only in terms of performance, but reliability and robustness as well. This has led to the continued development of sensor technologies, with developers seeking to additionally provide more compact and cost-effective alternatives to surrounding sensing; autonomous driving being the end goal, therefore entailing stricter requirements. Although both RADAR and LIDAR sensors are used for the same purpose, i.e. measuring the radial distance towards a target and determining its velocity relative to the host vehicle, they differ with regards to their functionalities, components, operation and various other aspects, leading to individual strengths and weaknesses. For example, RADAR is known for its impressive detection range, whereas LIDAR is known for its enhanced accuracy and resolution. These contrasting characteristics therefore indicate that either sensor may be preferred over the other in certain situations; perhaps in which one may perform better than the other, or due to other factors and aspects. This paper aims to analyse and compare the two sensor technologies and their use in passenger vehicles with respect to these various factors and aspects, in order to provide an insight into different cases in which one may be more suitable than the other. In general, a single sensor cannot definitively achieve all automotive requirements within all situations. Thus, a combination of sensors is recommended, in order to benefit from their individual strengths and ensure continuous system functionality and availability to detect the surrounding environment.
Among other factors, electric vehicles (EVs) were developed with the intention of mitigating the transportation sector’s impact on the environment and the depletion of fossil fuels. While various methods exist to charge electric vehicles (EVs) or extend their driving ranges, each have their benefits and drawbacks. As such, a method to accomplish the latter, i.e., to extend the driving range of an EV – and more specifically, a battery electric vehicle (BEV) – is proposed, which entails magnetically coupling to an electric truck (ET) ahead. This is enabled by a front-mounted system, comprised of a magnetic circuit (MC) and a linear axis (LA), which acts as a drawbridge to extend the MC ahead of the vehicle to a steel plate located at the rear of the ET. By utilising an array of permanent magnets (PMs) and a solenoid within a pot ferrite core (PFC) structure, the proposed system is able to easily generate a coupling force of around 6400 𝑁, which is sufficient to maintain the magnetic couple to the ET ahead, even under slight deceleration of the BEV of 2 𝑚 ⁄ s^2, as it recuperates energy via regenerative braking. With the proposed system, a power gain of 30.24 𝑘𝑊 is achievable in this manner, which allows for a significant improvement to the driving range of BEVs, as well as providing similar benefits as those offered by dynamic charging systems, namely, the convenience, and is thus regarded as a feasible solution, with regard to its performance.