High-Resolution Automotive Imaging Using MIMO Radar and Doppler Beam Sharpening

A highly detailed sensing of a vehicle's surrounding environment is a key requirement for the advancement of autonomous driving technology. While conventional automotive radar sensors remain robust under challenging weather conditions, poor cross-range resolution and high sidelobe levels present significant challenges. In this article, we propose an approach that combines multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) beamforming with Doppler beam sharpening. We demonstrate a significant improvement in terms of cross-range resolution and, importantly, nearly 20-dB sidelobe suppression compared to conventional MIMO processing. This approach is investigated in detail and validated through theoretical analysis, simulation, and experiment using data recorded on a moving vehicle. We demonstrate performance that is comparable to a high-resolution mechanically scanned radar using a commercially available MIMO sensor.