Combined Capacitive and Ultrasonic Distance Measurement for Automotive Applications

This work presents a sensor fusion concept based on capacitive and ultrasonic techniques for distance measurement in automotive applications. Although ultrasonic sensors are a well accepted technology for distance sensing applications, they reveal drawbacks in the immediate vicinity of a vehicle. Capacitive sensors are suited for distance measurements of up to 0.3 m and may also provide information about the approaching object itself. The measurement range of the proposed fusion concept reaches up to 2 m whereby blind spots are avoided and means for object classification are provided. The feasibility of the approach and its robustness against environmental influences are demonstrated by means of experimental investigations.