Autonomous car sensor technology. Photo: Frank Derks, Flickr.

Aimed at assisting safer autonomous driving, STMicroelectronics has introduced its first multi-frequency satellite navigation receiver chipset suitable for automotive applications and high accuracy positioning at the decimeter and centimeter-level for Precise Point Positioning (PPP) and Real-Time Kinematics (RTK) applications.

Traditional in-car navigation systems help drivers reach their destinations using receivers and commercial satellite services that allow positioning accurate to within a few meters. With increasing use of autonomous systems such as Lane-Departure Warning (LDW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), valet parking, and auto-pilot, greater accuracy is needed to ensure safety and reliability, in combination with proximity sensors such as cameras, radar, lidar, and others. Fully self-driving vehicles of the future will also demand high-accuracy positioning.

By tracking satellites of all Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) constellations simultaneously on at least two of the frequencies used by each, ST’s Teseo Automated Precise Positioning (APP) receiver provides raw GNSS data for PP and RTK algorithms, which allow accurate positioning and rapid convergence time worldwide, according to the company.

The receiver also monitors the integrity of the satellite data to alert the system if accuracy is degraded for any reason. This permits Tier 1 manufacturers to certify safety-critical systems in accordance with the automotive industry functional-safety standard, ISO 26262, up to the highest Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL). Teseo APP also integrates a microcontroller for secure system boot and data-output authentication to keep sensitive data safe from attack.

ST is now supplying product samples to lead customers who are developing autonomous-driving systems expected to appear first in high-end vehicles launched in 2020 and 2021.