In March, an autonomous Uber vehicle hit and killed a pedestrian. Although the vehicle detected the woman, it failed to stop. According to the police, the vehicle was going 38 mph in a 35 mph zone. This tragic accident caused both manufacturers and the public to take a step back and question whether autonomous cars can ever be fully safe.
In order to ensure that these accidents aren’t common, positioning technology must advance to the point where it is completely accurate. Using a GNSS receiver and other GPS devices as well as INS navigation technology, auto manufacturers are constructing smarter autonomous vehicles than ever before. However, the technology is not at the level yet where autonomous vehicles are safer than ones operated by humans. According to three experts in the industry who were interviewed by GPSWorld.com, positioning technology powered by GNSS and inertial navigation systems will continue to improve. They must be combined with other technologies, though, like radar and Lidar sensors and vision-based solutions, to account for the many variables that can occur on the road. They agree we will get there, but there may be other setbacks along the way. The key will be to hold companies accountable when they do mess up, and to limit any testing risks to protect the general public. We should not be surprised when something goes wrong in these initial phases of testing, but we shouldn’t settle for these events to be the norm either.
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If you are planning on taking a road trip this summer, you are certainly not alone. According to AAA, a third of all Americans plan to take a family vacation more than fifty miles away from their home. And most of them will not be relying on their map navigational skills to get to where the need to go. Instead, a GNSS receiver will be their best friend, guiding them to their destination without having to worry about which interstate they’re on.
GPS technology is ubiquitous in our everyday lives. You probably have a GPS receiver in your smart phone or other mobile device. GPS receivers are also found in automobiles, airplanes, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, and sea vessels. A GPS antenna may be used for harsher environments and applications where precision is paramount, like those for the military. Responding to Present-Day Threats against an Aging SystemGPS was developed by the United States military back in the 1970s. It was intended for both military and civilian use with each using a different signal. There are 30 satellites in space and many ground centers in the system that allow receivers to measure time, position, and velocity. In order to determine location, a receiver needs data from four different satellites in the system. As GPS technology is used for everything from tracking a Lyft to coordinating a top-secret military mission, safeguarding against threats is a constant concern for the military and tech companies. Although the military has modernized GPS and made improvements and changes when necessary, there are many threats that could affect the accuracy and effectiveness of the system. The three most common threats are the following:
Additionally, the L.A. Times reports that the government and tech companies are developing systems and algorithms to collect data sources to determine a user’s position. These data sources, which could include TV antennas and radio stations, can provide a way to double-check the accuracy of the GPS and triangulate a location if GPS isn’t available. As we depend more on GPS technology for military and everyday applications, it’s becoming increasingly crucial that we have ways to ensure we are protected against any threats that could hinder our ability to use this technology. If you are a fan of early 90s movies, you might have seen The Rocketeer. The Rocketeer is about a stunt pilot who has a jetpack that allows him to fly and fight the bad guys. Although the movie did not feature air flying, air flying was a major part of the comic books by the same name as Cliff Secord, the hero in the story, often participated in them. Air flying was a major force in the early 1900s, which is when the comics took place.
Air flying is a motorsport involving pilots who helm racing aircraft. They either compete to get the quickest time racing a fixed course or score the highest amount of points. Air flying still exists to this day, and the most famous competition in the world today is the Red Bull Air Race Championship. This is a high-skilled competition that involves precision and speed, and planes can go as fast as 370 kilometers per hour. So you might wonder then how spectators can watch the sport. This is where inertial navigation systems (INS) come into play. As the Red Bull Air Race Championship involves head-to-head competition, a ghost plane, an AR solution, is used to show the trajectory of the plane’s ride on a telecast. In order to get accurate telemetry data to display the line and speed of the flight, the ghost plane uses altitude data, position data, and velocity data captured from the on-board INS navigation system. You might have heard of GPS IMU systems to maneuver unmanned aircraft like drones. They are a part of inertial navigation systems as well. Inertial navigation systems use a combination of computers, motion sensors, gyroscopes, and magnetometers to establish dead reckoning. They have been used for some time in the aircraft industry, dating back to World War II. The dual-antenna GPS-assisted INS used in the Red Bull Air Race Championship to judge and watch the competition helped make the championship a big success. This is just one of many applications in which INS is used, and we’ll talk about more in future posts. What Are Some of the Challenges GNSS Manufacturers Have regarding Autonomous Vehicle Traffic?2/16/2018 Last week, Elon Musk and his Space X engineers successfully launched the Heavy Falcon and even sent a Tesla into space. You can bet he will be able to get autonomous vehicles on the road for public use very soon. As you probably know, some of the biggest and richest companies have begun development of their own self-driving vehicles to various levels of success. Tesla is one of those companies, and you can expect that there will be a Tesla model on the road very soon. However, before the vehicles can be purchased by the public, the technology must be perfect. When you go into an autonomous vehicle you are literally putting your safety in the hands of a machine. One of the factors that will need to be worked out beforehand is the accuracy of GPS receivers to ensure that the computer software operating the vehicle is able to understand where it is and react quickly in the event that there is an obstacle on the road or stoppage in traffic. It must always be resistant to jamming and blockages that can potentially affect GNSS receivers today as well. GPS World magazine actually asked several experts what they believe needs to happen before autonomous vehicles become a mainstay on roads in the United States. All three experts questioned said that there must be multiple safeguards implemented just in case the GPS receiver experiences some sort of a malfunction. These could include “social” interactions between the various vehicles on the road, the coupling of GNSS receivers with cameras and sensors, and implementing corrective services. In addition to that, they all agree that GNSS manufacturers must incorporate product developmental standards and increase performance requirements in order to have GNSS receivers on the level where the computer can make quick, intellectual decisions based on precise position detection. While we still have a long way to go, the truth is that the tech industry is up for the challenge. We just put a Tesla in space for crying out loud! Did you know that the FCC has a Jammer Enforcement program to ensure nobody uses a jammer to disrupt the functionality of GPS receivers? Terrorism is obviously a problem, but there are a number of reasons why someone may use a GPS jammer that are rather innocuous. Gizmodo Media featured the story of one man who was in possession of GPS jamming device that was actually jamming signals at Newark Airport. Given the fact that airports use GPS technology all of the time to guide airplanes safely to landings, jammed GPS signals is a significant issue.
The man who was using a GPS jamming device was not trying to disrupt planes’ ability to land. He was just trying to block GPS signals from showing his boss his location at all times. While nobody likes a nosy boss, the FCC takes jammed signals very seriously. GPS jammers are illegal, and the penalties for possession of one could range from fines to even prison time. Regarding the man above, he was fined $32,000. If you’re asking how people can obtain a GPS jammer if it is illegal, the technology is relatively basic. It is pretty easy to order GPS jammers over the internet. The writer of the Gizmodo piece mentioned above was able to obtain his rather easily. GPS jammers sell for less than $50, and they can be found online from Chinese retailers and other international merchants. While it could be possible to find GPS jammers on eBay and other domestic sites, these companies have restrictions in place to deter sellers from trying to sell them. If you try to sell a GPS jammer on eBay, your membership could be revoked if you are caught. However, the technology is there, and institutions have to safeguard against them to prevent people from disrupting their operations. From truck drivers to marine ports, there are so many industries out there that rely on accurate GPS signals. Whether we’re talking about literal acts of terrorism or someone just wanting to be off the grid and hide from his boss, GPS jammers are a problem. GPS jammer detectors are a necessity for any company or organization that would be adversely affected by a jammer. We encourage you to look into GPS jammer detectors to ensure you are protected. |
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