December 15, 2020

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) announced today that subsidiary TDK Ventures invested in Uhnder, a leading developer of advanced digital imaging radar-on-chip solutions. Uhnder offers a high-performance, low power, low cost, compact radar solution well suited for today’s passenger and commercial vehicles, in addition to automated vehicles of the future. Uhnder’s digital imaging radar solution uses the 77/79 GHz band that offers impressive levels of range, resolution, and accuracy all on a single chip, positioning Uhnder radar as a key component in driver safety. Uhnder’s radar offers versatility for a wide range of applications such as automotive ADAS, semi and fully autonomous driving, robotics, port automation, and traffic management.

“Uhnder developed a remarkable digital imaging radar-on-chip solution that allows the radar to detect other vehicles, people, and objects on the road at a greater range and with higher accuracy and resolution, contributing to safety in a meaningful way,” said Nicolas Sauvage, Managing Director, TDK Ventures. “TDK is eager to make meaningful contributions through its partnership with Uhnder that we are confident will continue to accelerate their success.”

Uhnder utilizes digital code modulation technology (DCM) in contrast to the frequency modulated continuous waveform (FMCW) approach that is popular among other radar solutions on the market. Its 77/79 GHz digital radar-on-chip has 12 transmit and 16 receive antenna elements that comprise 192 virtual elements. Additionally, Uhnder radar can utilize MIMO and digital beamforming to achieve high contrast resolution (the ability to accurately distinguish a small object next to a large object), higher accuracy, longer range, low susceptibility to interference, and strong imaging capability – which are all typical shortcomings of other radar solutions.

“Uhnder is innovating radar technology on many fronts. We are pioneering a digital imaging radar-on-chip solution that can determine the distance, velocity, and position of objects in the environment with superior performance to other radar solutions,” said Manju Hegde, CEO and co-founder of Uhnder. “TDK has been an amazing partner and we greatly appreciate their help and determination to deliver synergies across our technology and business.”

Uhnder takes advantage of the benefits of CMOS technology and combines advanced CMOS design with the digital code modulation approach to achieve standout radar performance per watt. The baseband, RF, analog frontend, digital front end, digital backend, and the post radar detection digital signal processing are all integrated on a single chip, saving space and creating a very high-performance radar at low cost.

To find out more about TDK Ventures, interested startups or investment partners may contact TDK Ventures: www.tdk-ventures.com or contact@tdk-ventures.com.

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About TDK Corporation
TDK Corporation is a world leader in electronic solutions for the smart society based in Tokyo, Japan. Built on a foundation of material sciences mastery, TDK welcomes societal transformation by resolutely remaining at the forefront of technological evolution and deliberately “Attracting Tomorrow.” It was established in 1935 to commercialize ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK’s comprehensive, innovation-driven portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminum electrolytic and film capacitors, as well as magnetics, high-frequency, and piezo and protection devices. The product spectrum also includes sensors and sensor systems such as temperature and pressure, magnetic, and MEMS sensors. In addition, TDK provides power supplies and energy devices, magnetic heads and more. These products are marketed under the product brands TDK, EPCOS, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics and TDK-Lambda. TDK focuses on demanding markets in automotive, industrial and consumer electronics, and information and communication technology. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America. In fiscal 2020, TDK posted total sales of USD 12.5 billion and employed about 107,000 people worldwide

About TDK Ventures
TDK Ventures invests in startups to bolster innovation in materials science, energy/power and related areas typically underrepresented in venture capital portfolios. Established in 2019 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TDK Corporation, the corporate venture company’s vision is to propel the digital and energy transformations of segments such as health and wellness, next-generation transportation, robotics and industrial, mixed reality and the wider IoT/IIoT markets. TDK Ventures will co-invest and support promising portfolio companies by providing technical expertise and access to global markets where TDK operates. Interested startups or investment partners may contact TDK Ventures: www.tdk-ventures.com or contact@tdk-ventures.com.

About Uhnder
Uhnder is leading the transformation of radar from traditional analog modulation to Digital Code Modulation (DCM). Uhnder’s patent-pending technology delivers substantially more accurate results across complex use cases in both azimuth and elevation, making autonomy possible. Uhnder’s innovation promises to redefine the perception-based solutions offering improved performance, smaller footprint, and lower power consumption. Headquartered in Austin and launched in 2015 by Manju Hegde and Curtis Davis, Uhnder is the only supplier delivering digital radar chips and systems. For more information, visit: https://www.uhnder.com/