Design Workflow for Layouts of Heating Foils in Automotive Radar Radomes

Snow and ice can impair the functionality of automotive radar sensors. This is a significant concern for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD). As a solution, heating foils are integrated into bumpers or design emblems to prevent snow and ice accumulation. A heating foil consists of wire grids embedded in a dielectric foil material. It can also be implemented using conductive tracks. This paper provides a workflow for designing different layout geometries of heating foils by taking into account the transmission properties. The transmission properties are evaluated using analytical, simulative and experimental methods. An automated software application (App) is developed to generate different heating foil layouts, which can also help in determining a suitable layout based on the transmission values. The App is intended for use in the manufacturing of heating foils, as it enables the easy generation of layouts with different shapes and properties to meet customer needs.