How to keep Cameras, RADAR & LiDAR Sensors free of Snow & Ice by means of Printed Electronics

Since advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and other cutting-edge self-driving innovations hit the automotive market, reliable LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging) systems are crucial in the development of advanced self-driving vehicles. One significant challenge in this relation, is to guarantee clear visibility of those systems even in the harshest environmental conditions. For the sensor cover, especially the accretion of snow and ice as well as fogging is a significant issue that needs to be solved.
To ensure visibility during winter time, the RADAR and LiDAR sensor covers are currently equipped with wire based heating solutions. This state of the art solution is coming with some technological challenges during the manufacturing process, that is causing significant scrap rates. The homogeneity of the sensor cover temperature is often inadequate and overheating or even burning issues have been detected.
This presentation focuses on sensor cover heaters by means of printed electronics. Besides the heating functionality, also ice and temperature sensors are embedded in the heating solution, allowing for a heating- on-demand functionality that is energy efficient and provides a significant safety advantage.