Patent ID: 7570197

Claim:
A radar device mounted on a vehicle, for detecting a target situated in a running direction of the vehicle, said radar device comprising: a transmitting section for outputting a radio wave; a transmitting antenna for transmitting the radio wave from the transmitting section, said transmitting antenna being configured such that an electric field is formed in an area located in the running direction of the vehicle, which area has a predetermined width and includes a point that is located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle, said predetermined width being a function of width of the vehicle, and said predetermined distance being a function of a minimum distance between the vehicle and the target; first and second receiving antennas disposed at mutually different positions, for receiving the transmitted radio waves after they have been reflected from the target; a receiving section for receiving the reflected radio waves from the target, via the receiving antennas; and a signal processing section for performing signal processing, based on signals from the receiving section; wherein, the radar device outputs a processed signal for controlling running of the vehicle based thereon; and the radar device is connected to a control device so that, if the radar device interrupts outputting of the processed signal, the control device does not output a command to start the vehicle in motion until receiving a processed signal after the radar device resumes outputting of the processed signal.