A versatile and cost-effective antenna OTA test system has been designed for seamless integration with existing EMC chambers.
The system is a joint development between Anritsu and AeroGT Labs with RanLOS and Toyo Corporation. It primarily uses a RanLOS OTA test system combined with Anritsy’s 5G Radio Communications Test Station.
As autonomous driving gains momentum and the demand for connected vehicles surge, the adoption of 5G for automotive use comes with performance requirements for successful implementation. To enable the seamless flow of dynamic, real-time data communication, highly reliable antenna performance is a key necessity to ensure the safety of autonomous and connected vehicles and to enable advanced infotainment. This requirement is addressed by optimising and validating antenna design and installation on a vehicle. However, to accomplish this critical task, design engineers need a consistent, reliable and controllable test environment that can emulate real-world conditions.
RanLOS and Anritsu collaborated to meet this need by integrating a portable antenna test system with a wide dynamic range base station simulation. This combined approach supports the measurement of throughput and antenna radiation patterns under static conditions and the evaluation of throughput degradation in vehicles operating on a dynamometer. It is well-suited for assessing the performance of antennas on cars, vans, minibuses and autonomous transport systems. What sets the solution apart is its distinctive capability to be seamlessly integrated into pre-existing EMC chambers, providing manufacturers with an opportunity to establish an essential testing environment while keeping the initial investment to a minimum.
Toyo and AeroGT Labs have provided the measurement specialist and EMC expertise for the project and view the result as an optimal choice for customers requiring a 5G OTA measurement system for advancing next-generation mobility.
While the 5G wireless communication quality evaluation is indispensable for the development of the next-generation mobility including connected and autonomous vehicles, no standard test method has been established so far. In this context, the solution created by integrating Anritsu and RanLOS products offers a simple and intelligent way to evaluate the 5G on-vehicle wireless communications and minimise initial investment, according to Yoshimichi Imaizumi, Director, Senior VP at TOYO.
Steve Wong, Chief Marketing Officer at AeroGT Labs continues by saying that as vehicles advance further toward an all-interconnected future, holistically evaluating and gauging 5G antenna performance in connected vehicles becomes more than a benchmarking and testing effort. “This critical process lays the foundation for a future in transport characterised by elevated safety and enhanced efficiency,” he says.
Takeshi Shima, Director, Senior Vice President, Test & Measurement at Anritsu explains that by integrating the Anritsu MT8000A 5G network simulator with the RanLOS system, the automotive test marketplace has access to an advanced system with technology and cost benefits. With the constant and rapid progress in autonomous services, in-vehicle antenna performance significantly matters.
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