How much do you know about the millimeter wave radar market: the number of vehicles installed continues to rise, and the demand for lateral safety functions is prominent

Millimeter wave radar, as a powerful tool for detecting high-frequency electromagnetic waves, has a wavelength between microwaves and light waves, which gives it excellent penetration and anti-interference capabilities. This feature is particularly significant in the application of the automotive industry, and has become one of the core technologies in the era of intelligent driving.

From adaptive cruise control to forward collision avoidance, millimeter-wave radar not only accurately measures vehicle distance and speed, but also provides emergency braking assistance at critical moments, building a solid line of defense for driving safety. At the same time, it can also monitor blind spots and assist parking, bringing driving convenience and safety to a new level. With the rapid development of autonomous driving technology, millimeter-wave radar, as a key sensor for environmental perception, is constantly driving cars towards intelligence and networking, and its load changes have also become an important indicator for measuring technological progress and market trends.

According to the intelligent driving configuration data analysis of Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute, in the first half of 2024, the number of millimeter-wave radars installed reached 10.679 million, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Specifically, the number of forward millimeter-wave radars installed reached 4.51 million, which, despite a slight year-on-year decrease, remained at a stable level; the number of rear-facing millimeter-wave radars increased slightly to 30,000. The number of corner millimeter-wave radars installed has achieved a significant increase, jumping from 4.976 million to 6.139 million, an increase of 23.4%.

This data change not only represents the increasing number of intelligent driving integration solutions, but also highlights the market's growing demand for vehicle lateral safety features.

The continued increase in the application of millimeter-wave radar technology in the field of autonomous driving is also reflected in the obvious growth trend in the installation of millimeter-wave radar-related functions such as forward collision warning system (FCW), automatic emergency braking system (AEB), and adaptive cruise control (ACC), which shows that consumers are paying more and more attention to the demand for safe and convenient driving experience.

Among them, the growth of navigation assistance (NOA) was particularly prominent, with the number of vehicles equipped increasing from 239,000 to 625,000, a year-on-year surge of 161.7%. Forward Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA) also showed strong growth momentum, surging 112.1% year-on-year, indicating that autonomous driving technology is accelerating towards a higher level and more comprehensive direction.

The number of millimeter-wave radars installed in vehicles of different price ranges has also increased steadily. In particular, in the 200,000-400,000 yuan range, millimeter-wave radars are being installed more quickly, and there is huge room for future growth. The number of millimeter-wave radars installed in vehicles below 100,000 yuan has also increased to a certain extent. In the future, with the advancement of technology and further optimization of cost control, the application of millimeter-wave radars will be more extensive, not only limited to mid-to-high-end models, but also expected to sink into a wider consumer market.

As an innovative product of millimeter-wave radar technology, 4D millimeter-wave radar is gradually becoming the new favorite of the market due to its significant advantages in detection distance, cost-effectiveness and environmental adaptability. Many well-known automobile brands such as Feifan, Ideal, Lotus, NIO, and Wenjie have taken the lead in installing 4D millimeter-wave radar.

From the perspective of the mounting position, it has achieved a full range of layouts, including forward, backward and even sideways, but the overall layout is mostly forward, which means that the current focus is still on improving the safety of intelligent driving. In terms of the number of chips installed, the basic configuration strategy is 1-2 chips.

Representative suppliers of 4D millimeter-wave radars such as ZF, Sensortech, Foritec, Huawei, Zongmu Technology, and Scion are competing on the same stage, which has promoted the positive interaction between technology iteration and cost control. In the future, 4D millimeter-wave radar is expected to surpass 3D radar in terms of performance and cost and become the mainstream choice in the field of autonomous driving.

Millimeter-wave radar technology, especially 4D millimeter-wave radar, is driving the intelligent transformation and upgrading of the automotive industry at an unprecedented speed. With the continuous innovation of technology and the continuous expansion of the market, the application prospects of 4D millimeter-wave radar in the field of autonomous driving are becoming clearer and the future market growth potential is huge.