Automotive radar has steadily evolved from a convenience feature into one of the essential sensing technologies behind safer, more automated mobility. Early radar systems were primarily associated with blind spot detection (BSD). Today, radar is expected to support a much broader set of functions, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-change assist, parking support, and long-range adaptive cruise control. New suppliers at higher frequency bands, including indie’s 120 GHz products, are enabling uses that 77 GHz systems were not designed for—especially complex near-field perception around the entire vehicle. 120 GHz radars will coexist in addition to 77 GHz products, while extending what near-field sensing can do. This shift is significant as the vehicle environment is becoming more crowded and more dynamic. Drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, pets, shopping carts, curbs, doors, walls, and other vehicles all occupy the space immediately around the car. For automated parking and low-speed maneuvering, a system does not simply need to know that something exists. The vehicle needs to understand with high confidence where small objects and pedestrians are, the exact distance, and whether they are moving. This is where the conversation around higher-frequency radar becomes especially relevant. The Short-Range Challenge Many current radar platforms operate in the 76-81 GHz band, which has become the workhorse for automotive exterior sensing. It offers excellent all-weather performance, direct velocity measurement, and mature semiconductor and antenna ecosystems. For many long-range and mid-range applications, 77 GHz radar remains highly effective and will continue to play an important role in future vehicles. However, the most demanding short-range use cases are pushing radar in a different direction. Low-speed automated driving and parking applications require accurate measurements very close to the vehicle. They must distinguish objects that are near one another, resolve surfaces and edges, and operate in tight packaging locations such as bumpers, corners, rocker panels, mirrors, and interior trim. In these environments, antenna size, resolution, update rate, and system integration are not secondary considerations. They define what the sensor can realistically deliver. Why 120 GHz is Different 120 GHz FMCW radar brings several physics-based advantages that are particularly attractive for short-range sensing. The shorter wavelength enables smaller antennas and more compact RF structures, which can support smaller sensor modules and more flexible placement. Wider available bandwidth can improve range resolution, allowing the radar to separate targets that are close together in distance. At the same time, higher operating frequency can improve sensitivity to small motions and subtle changes in the scene. In practical terms, this means a 120 GHz radar sensor can be designed to collect richer information from a physically smaller aperture. That is a powerful combination for applications where mechanical integration is difficult and where the sensing task is concentrated in the near-field. Rather than treating radar only as a long-range object detector, 120 GHz opens the door to more precise local perception. Deployment in Automotive Applications Early adoption of automotive use cases is likely to center on near-field advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated parking. Vehicles increasingly need to detect curbs, low obstacles, posts, walls, ramps, and pedestrians at short distances and from challenging angles. Ultrasonic sensors have traditionally served many parking functions, but the industry is moving toward more capable sensing architectures that can offer higher information content and more robust performance across environments. 120 GHz radar is also well matched to in-cabin and around-cabin sensing applications. The same characteristics that support high-resolution exterior sensing can also support in