Enhancing High-Precision Positioning: Fusion of terrestrial and non-terrestrial Wireless Systems and Onboard Sensors for Resilient Vehicular Navigation

Ensuring autonomous vehicles (AVs) safe and efficient operation necessitates reliable, accurate, and high-precision positioning across all environmental and operational conditions. In recent years, there has been a concerning rise in jamming and spoofing attacks targeting Global Navigation Satellite Signals (GNSS signals), including GPS, impacting both military and civilian applications. Furthermore, in urban environments, GNSS signals can be severely obstructed or distorted due to multipath interference. Given the critical safety implications of AVs, there is an urgent need for alternative wireless technologies that can complement or even operate independently of GNSS. The emerging 5G/6G mmWave networks, with their wide bandwidth and massive MIMO capabilities, present a promising solution for reliable, high-precision positioning in GNSS-denied environments. This presentation will highlight recent advancements Lab in wireless high-precision positioning and navigation, achieving decimeter-level accuracy. It will compare the performance of GNSS precise point positioning (PPP) with 5G-based mmWave wireless technology while exploring the potential of integrating wireless positioning with onboard motion sensors and perception systems onboard AVs. The discussion will cover the strengths and limitations of each technology, supported by real-world road test data collected from the NavINST land vehicle setup in various Canadian cities. Additionally, the presentation will provide insights into the future of wireless positioning, particularly leveraging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations.