Effects of Plastic Vehicular Covers on Radiation Characteristics of
Lightweight, Dual-band Antenna for Vehicular Communications
Abstract
This paper highlights the impact of curved and flat vehicular plastic
parts on the radiation characteristics of two dual-band antennas for
C-V2X applications. The radiation patterns of the antennas are measured
in SATIMO near field measurement system and are compared during the
following setups: (a) antennas alone in the near field system, without
the presence of a plastic part; (b) antennas mounted on the inside
curved surface of a driver’s side mirror cover; (c) antennas mounted on
the outside curved surface of the driver’s side mirror cover; (d)
antennas mounted on a flat trunk lid; (e) antennas mounted on a curved
plastic retrieved from the A-pillar of a vehicle. Comparison among the
antennas radiation pattern measurements during these different setups,
results in the conclusion that the inside surface of the side mirror
cover is the most suitable position to mount the presented dual-band
antennas. The curvature of the inside surface at the point where the
antenna was mounted is less steep than the placement point at the
outside surface, allowing the antenna to keep its polarization axis
mostly unaffected. Moreover, the curve of the inside surface makes the
antenna radiation more directional, creating an increase in the antenna
gain. The side mirror cover, compared to trunk lid, is further from the
ground protecting the antenna radiation from additional reflections.