Fraunhofer IIS Repurposes Automotive Radar Sensors for Cost-Effective Infrastructure Monitoring

© Fraunhofer IIS
The relatively cost-effective radar sensors developed for autonomous vehicles can, with appropriate modifications, also be used for infrastructural monitoring.

(IN BRIEF) Fraunhofer IIS is developing an affordable solution for continuous infrastructure monitoring by adapting radar sensors originally designed for the automotive sector. In response to growing concerns about Germany’s aging bridges and railways, the approach repurposes robust vehicle sensor technology to detect structural damage with high precision at much lower cost than conventional systems. Field tests on a bridge at TU Dresden demonstrate the ability to measure minute displacements and vibrations using advanced interferometric radar analysis. A follow-up project launching in 2026 will focus on railway bridges, with the goal of enabling large-scale, long-term monitoring to improve safety and maintenance planning.

(PRESS RELEASE) DRESDEN, 6-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS is developing a cost-effective approach to continuous infrastructure monitoring by adapting radar sensor technologies originally designed for the automotive industry. The work follows growing concern over the condition of Germany’s transport infrastructure, highlighted by the partial collapse of the Carola Bridge in Dresden in September 2024, and aims to enable earlier detection of structural damage in bridges, rail tracks, and other civil engineering assets.

Germany currently faces a substantial backlog in infrastructure maintenance, with thousands of highway bridges and tens of thousands of kilometers of railway lines requiring renovation. While existing regulations mandate regular inspections, continuous monitoring is rarely implemented due to high costs. Researchers at the Engineering of Adaptive Systems branch of Fraunhofer IIS are addressing this gap by repurposing robust, mass-produced vehicle sensors to deliver reliable, long-term structural health monitoring at a fraction of the cost of specialized systems.

Automotive radar sensors are designed to operate with high precision under extreme environmental conditions, making them well suited for infrastructure applications once appropriately adapted. According to Christoph Sohrmann, Group Manager at Fraunhofer IIS, technologies such as MEMS sensors and radar systems used in autonomous vehicles can be modified to detect early signs of structural deterioration, including cracks and vibration anomalies in prestressed concrete bridges. Compared with conventional infrastructure monitoring sensors, which can be ten to one hundred times more expensive, automotive-derived solutions benefit from established production standards, built-in cybersecurity, and self-monitoring capabilities.

© Fraunhofer IIS
Accidents such as the collapse of the Carola Bridge in Dresden can be better prevented by continuously monitoring engineering structures.

To meet the specific requirements of structural health monitoring, Fraunhofer researchers are enhancing automotive radar technology through technical modifications and advanced data processing. On a 45-meter test bridge at the real-world laboratory of TU Dresden in Bautzen, teams are combining tactile sensors with non-contact radar measurements. Using phase-based interferometric analysis, the system can detect static displacements in the millimeter and sub-millimeter range, as well as structural vibrations at frequencies exceeding 1,000 hertz.

The measurement campaigns have been carried out in close collaboration with safety authorities and civil engineering offices, ensuring that the collected data meet practical requirements for inspection and renovation planning. Civil engineering expertise from TU Dresden, including input from Professor Steffen Marx, has been integral to aligning sensor performance with real-world monitoring needs.

Building on these results, Fraunhofer IIS is launching a follow-up project, RICARES, scheduled to begin in January 2026. Funded by Sächsische Aufbaubank, the project will focus on the stability monitoring of railway bridges while further optimizing sensor synchronization, antenna configurations, and long-term data collection strategies. The technology is expected to be equally applicable to road bridges and other critical infrastructure.

By significantly reducing costs, the approach developed by Fraunhofer IIS could enable authorities to move beyond selective inspections and implement widespread, continuous monitoring of aging infrastructure. Such long-term datasets would provide valuable insights into structural stress and early damage, improving safety, extending service life, and supporting more precise and efficient renovation planning.

Media Contacts:

Sandra Kundel
Head of PR and Communications
Fraunhofer IIS, Division Engineering of Adaptive Systems EAS
Münchner Straße 16
01187 Dresden, Germany
Phone +49 351 45691-152
sandra.kundel@eas.iis.fraunhofer.de

SOURCE: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft