Experimental Comparison Between 77 GHz Automotive Radar and 5G Sub-6 GHz Imaging

As autonomous driving technology advances, reliable communication between vehicles and their surroundings is turning into a crucial requirement. In addition to this, high-resolution environmental mapping is becoming increasingly important. This makes a joint communication and sensing (JCAS) approach appealing, where 5 G vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication signals could serve for imaging purposes. This paper investigates the imaging capabilities of the $5 \mathbf{G}$ sub- 6 GHz frequency range leveraging the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) principle. Furthermore, it compares the achieved measurement results to 77 GHz automotive radar imaging. The physical environment of a parking lot can be accurately represented in a SAR image using both the 77 GHz radar and the 5 G sub- 6 GHz channel sounding. While the 77 GHz radar provides highly detailed images, capturing even fine aspects of targets, the 5 G sub- 6 GHz setup offers impressive capabilities despite its lower bandwidth. Although it cannot capture every contour of the positioned targets, it remains highly effective in reliably recognizing various targets, distinguishing obstacles from free space, and identifying empty parking spots. This demonstrates the potential for 5 G sub- 6 GHz to be used in JCAS for imaging applications with SAR.