Optical Wireless Communications and Optical Sensing and Detection Technologies for Increasing the Reliability and Safety in Autonomous Driving Scenarios

Abstract

Among the different types of lasers and light sources for communications, newer components for optical wireless and optical sensing applications have seen an upgraded importance. In this contribution, combinations of optical and RF (radio frequency) wave propagation are illustrated, considering also new technologies of lasers and fibre lasers. It includes optical wireless communication (OWC), well known as Free Space Optics (FSO) as transmission method with telecommunication technologies, like WIFI, RF- and satellite communications and sensing technologies e.g. LiDAR (light detection and ranging) and RADAR (radio detection and ranging) combinations. The contribution deals with possible fields of application for optical wireless in conjunction with automated driving. The scope considers requirements including infrastructural view, differences of optical and RF-wave propagation and promising combinations of optical techniques with conventional wireless technologies.