Vehicle Networking using Ultra Wideband (UWB) Technology

The purpose of this program is to develop a prototype demonstration of an autonomous vehicle- following capability using Time Domain Corporation’s (TDC) UWB PulsON 210 radios. TDC’s UWB implementation accurately determines the range between transceivers, operates in high multipath environments, has a low probability of detection or interception, and is nearly impervious to jamming. This program will use TDC’s second-generation UWB reference design kit radio that has been created for integration into product solutions. The company recently demonstrated a related UWB system for locating and tracking individual members of teams operating in urban environments. This program will develop system requirements; assess RF coexistence, GPS integration, antenna placement, and propagation performance; incorporate hardware advancements; and develop application specific software to produce a demonstration using Army vehicles. The system will precisely determine inter vehicle distance and offset from the leader’s centerline, graphically presenting this data to the drivers. This capability is important for improving safety of convoys and for enabling completely autonomous following for remotely controlled vehicles. The UWB hardware platform will support fusion of communication and sensing functions along with positioning capability, providing a path to fully integrated features that address the central information systems challenges of Future Combat Systems (FCS).