Panasonic Touts Precision of Millimeter-Wave Radar System

Panasonic Corp. says its new multi-sensor, wide-view millimeter-wave radar technology can separately detect cars, pedestrians and bicycles as far as 40 meters away in less than 0.1 seconds.

The radar can discern objects as little as 8 inches (20 cm) apart. The system is intended to reduce crashes at intersections, which the company says account for half of traffic fatalities.

Unlike camera-based systems, millimeter-wave radar can detect vehicles at night and in poor weather conditions. The use of multiple sensors enables the system to "see" an entire intersection.

Panasonic developed the new radar technology as the part of research supported by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The company is demonstrating the technology at the ITS World Congress in Tokyo this week.