This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for detecting the presence of an object or living being below a vehicle. In one aspect a wireless charging system for an electric vehicle is provided. The system includes a vehicle charging pad configured to wirelessly receive power from a base charging pad spaced from the vehicle charging pad. The system further includes a detection apparatus on a surface of the vehicle. The detection apparatus is configured to detect existence of a moving object within an exclusion zone underneath the vehicle. The detection apparatus includes at least one antenna assembly configured to transmit radiation and to receive radiation reflected from material within the exclusion zone. The at least one antenna assembly has a radiation pattern for at least one of the transmitted radiation and the received radiation, the radiation pattern having a maximum gain and having a first gain along a first line perpendicular to the surface less than half of the maximum gain on a linear scale.