Joint radar and communication (JRC) technology has become important for civil and military applications for decades. This paper introduces the concepts, characteristics and advantages of JRC technology, presenting the typical applications that have benefited from JRC technology currently and in the future. This paper explores the state-of-the-art of JRC in the levels of coexistence, cooperation, co-design and collaboration. Compared to previous surveys, this paper reviews the entire trends that drive the development of radar sensing and wireless communication using JRC. Specifically, we explore an open research issue on radar and communication operating with mutual benefits based on collaboration, which represents the fourth stage of JRC evolution. This paper provides useful perspectives for future researches of JRC technology.