Geospatial positioning systems developer Trimble is working with semiconductor and telecommunications company Qualcomm Technologies to produce highly-accurate location systems for select automotive applications including connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).
The two California-based companies will work together to integrate Trimble’s RTX technology with select Qualcomm Snapdragon Automotive 4G and 5G platforms to deliver a highly accurate positioning solution essential for maintaining absolute in-lane positioning. The new system will help automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers accelerate the adoption of road-level navigation and emergency services applications, as well as satisfy the requirements for developing Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and automated driving solutions.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4G and 5G Automotive platforms feature integrated multi-frequency and multi-constellation high-precision GNSS (global navigation satellite system) technology. The Snapdragon 4G and 5G platforms also support all major global and regional GNSS satellite constellations such as GPS (USA), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (Europe), BeiDou (China), and QZSS (Japan), operating concurrently on the L1, L2, and L5 frequency bands, including a Precise Positioning Framework. This framework ensures consistency in access and use of precise positioning information and incorporates the use of GNSS corrections technology. Tight integration of GNSS functionality in conjunction with the modem reception of the corrections allows for minimum latencies and optimal performance of the precise-positioning solution from the telematics system and provides automakers with a global location platform to meet the requirements of next-generation vehicles.
Trimble’s RTX technology provides real-time, multi-constellation GNSS corrections and positioning capable of achieving sub-one-inch (2cm) horizontal accuracy worldwide, compared to uncorrected GNSS positioning that can be accurate to several meters. The combined solution will provide reliable, consistent, high-accuracy positioning, in a broadcast format, to serve even the most precise requirements of the automotive and transportation industries. The partners say an RTX-enabled Snapdragon evaluation kit (EVK) is expected to be available by early 2020, for use by automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers or other stakeholders considering absolute positioning as part of their autonomy solution. Trimble has also made its RTX Auto an ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) and ASPICE (Automotive Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination) compliant RTX software library, available to any OEM or supplier that requires a functional safety-certified solution.
“Our relationship with Qualcomm Technologies establishes a unique alliance between industry leaders, in which both companies are committed to advancing the development of safer, more capable ADAS,” said John Sprivulis, director of autonomous navigation solutions for Trimble’s advanced positioning division. “Together we will offer a solution to the automotive industry that can help accelerate the adoption of precise GNSS positioning in the connected car and transform the way the world drives.”
Lars Boeryd, senior director of product marketing at Qualcomm Technologies, said, “Highly accurate positioning is quickly becoming an important element of connected vehicle solutions to support Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) and other autonomy applications. For this very reason, we are working with Trimble to host the RTX precise positioning software library on our Snapdragon Automotive 4G and 5G platforms to offer a robust end-to-end highly accurate position solution for the automotive industry.”
