Millimeter-Wave MIMO Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna Design for Autonomous Cars

Abstract

This paper introduces a millimeter-wave multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna for autonomous (self-driving) cars. The antenna is a modified four-port balanced antipodal Vivaldi which produces four directional beams and provides pattern diversity to cover 90 deg angle of view. By using four antennas of this kind on four corners of the car's bumper, it is possible to have a full 360 deg view around the car. The designed antenna is simulated by two commercially full-wave packages and the results indicate that the proposed method can successfully bring the required 90 deg angle of view.