Performance Comparison between UWB Communication and UWB Radar in In-Vehicle Seat Occupancy Detection Application

Abstract

In-vehicle seat occupancy detection sensors using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology has recently garnered increased attention. These sensors can be classified into two types: those that use UWB communication and those that use UWB radar. Each type has distinct advantages and disadvantages; therefore, an objective comparison of the performance differences between the two detection methods under the same conditions is meaningful from a practical application perspective. Accordingly, this study aimed to compare the performances of these two methods. The two systems were installed within the same vehicle environment, ensuring maximum possible consistency between the installation. Their sensing performances were then compared using the same artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. The results indicate that both methods could sense 16 in-vehicle seat occupancy situations with a high detection accuracy of over 99 %, except for minor discrepancies in the installation location and preprocessing method.