Unlocking the Future: UWB Steers Cars into the Fast Lane

While Ultra-Wideband might sound like Ultra-Weird-band to some, UWB continues to gain traction in automotive circles. This ultra-precise, low-power radio technology is making your car smarter, safer and possibly more judgmental about how loudly you sing in traffic.

UWB in Cars: Not Just a One-Key Wonder

UWB first popped up in cars to enable Digital Key systems, giving drivers the futuristic ability to unlock their car without touching a thing. Unlike traditional key fobs that yell "I'm nearby!" to anything that'll listen (including hackers), UWB precisely tells your car not just that you're there, but where you are within a few centimeters, in fact. That's close enough to unlock the door, but not close enough to judge your fast food choices.

Qorvo’s new automotive-qualified UWB SoC, the QPF5100Q, is a slick piece of silicon packed with security, configurability and enough swagger to impress German car engineers. It's currently going through design verification with top automotive OEMs and no, you can't install it in your 2002 minivan just yet, but we admire your enthusiasm.

One of the most important new UWB applications is Child Presence Detection (CPD). With high-precision sensing, the car can now detect tiny movements like breathing or the heartbeat of a sleeping child to alert parents if someone's left behind.

This goes way beyond motion sensors. UWB-powered CPD (as demoed at CES 2024 with Qorvo tech inside) can distinguish between a child, a gym bag or the burrito that rolled under your seat months ago.

Wave Hello to Gesture Control

UWB's talents also extend to gesture control. Want to skip a track or adjust the stereo without hunting for a touchscreen? Just wave. Wave left to skip the track. Wave right to pump the bass. Wave up to adjust the volume. Qorvo's QM35825 SoC makes these midair interactions feel like sc-ifiI sense the music is strong in you, Luke. I am your fader."

This same tech can monitor movement, improve cabin personalization and—perhaps someday soon—detect when you've nodded off mid-podcast.

What's Next for UWB?

• Digital Key Magic: Share your car key digitally without sharing your actual car (or your playlists).
• CPD with Confidence: Smarter alerts that know the difference between a baby and your gym bag.
• Gesture Interfaces: Because smudging your infotainment screen is so 2022.
• Context Awareness: Your car knows where you sit, what temp you like and possibly that you're still mad about yesterday's traffic reroute.

Want to Geek Out?

For more on how Qorvo is driving the future of automotive UWB (with actual engineers, not just blog posters), check out:

• UWB Radar: Beyond Ranging to Advanced Sensing
• Demonstrating UWB at CES 2025
• AutomotiveQualified UWB SoC
• Digital Key & CCC® Guide

So yes, UWB might have started as the misunderstood, oddly named member of the wireless tech family, but today it's the hero that quietly makes your car safer, smarter and a whole lot cooler. And no, it's not Ultra-Weirdband. It's more like Ultra-Wowband!

This article first appeared in Brent's Musings in Microwave Journal