What is Dynamic Localization?
Continuously determining and updating positioning in real-time as an object moves through its environment is dynamic localization. Conducting dynamic localization to attain a desired position is navigation!
And... Autonomous driving is not possible without accurate and precise dynamic localization.
How does it work in cars today?
Autonomously operated vehicles synthesize and continuously update real-time GPS and sensor data (LiDAR, cameras, radar, inertial) to conduct dynamic localization. While these technologies have advanced, they are not foolproof or safe enough for mass adoption of fully autonomous operations.
Sensors suppling data for AI algorithms are very expensive and struggle in adverse conditions like rain, snow, fog, or poor lighting. Their processing needs for dynamic localization are unnecessarily burdensome on low SWAP compute systems. Further, their size and positioning on driverless cars is an eyesore.
Of note, GPS alone is insufficiently accurate for dynamic localization and is vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. That's why costly sensors and other Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) techniques are required.
So, what is PNT?
Positioning
The ability to accurately and precisely determine an object's location and orientation at least two-dimensionally (length, width, height) when referenced to a standard geodetic system, like a map.
Navigation
The ability to determine an object's current and desired positions and apply corrections to course, orientation, and speed to attain the desired position anywhere in the world.
Timing
The ability to acquire and maintain accurate and precise time from an international standard (Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC) within user-defined timeliness parameters. Also includes time transfer.
And how does Navigtr use it?
Navigtr’s low-SWAP system on a chip blends PNT techniques to yield centimeter-level accuracy for dynamic localization measurements. The outcome is that passenger cars and commercial trucks will know exactly where they are physically located on the road and in their environment without the assistance of cameras, radar, or LiDAR. Those sensors and processors are in turn able to focus primarily on safety which lowers costs and minimizes compute needs.
Further, with cybersecurity built-in from the start, customers will have a resilient, more accurate, and frequency diverse complement to AI and GPS without the need for unique hardware.