NovAtel Establishes Advanced Research Partnership with Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Arizona to help solve High Precision, High Integrity Positioning for Autonomous Vehicles

NovAtel Inc. (NovAtel) is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement to fund leading-edge research to determine how Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology can deliver a positioning solution that meets both the safety and accuracy requirements of unmanned automotive vehicles. The research conducted by Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) and the University of Arizona will expand the scope of the analysis conducted for aircraft applications that resulted in the successful WAAS program to the autonomous ground vehicle use case.  The research will include updated and expanded concepts for high integrity carrier phase algorithms as well as expanded threat models and safety monitors.

This research is another step forward in NovAtel achieving a high precision automotive focused GNSS positioning solution that meets the safety standards set out in ISO26262. Jonathan Auld, Director of Safety Critical Systems at NovAtel said, “The research we are funding with Illinois Tech and University of Arizona leverages our safety critical experience in aviation by bringing together a team of world experts in GNSS integrity that have already successfully solved the integrity challenge for aviation through their work with  the FAA’s WAAS program.”

In tandem with its university research project, NovAtel will be working with Veripos, another Hexagon Positioning Intelligence company, to expand and upgrade their fully redundant global corrections network to optimize the Precise Point Positioning (PPP) corrections integrated in to safety critical positioning solutions.

About Illinois Tech

Illinois Institute of Technology, also known as Illinois Tech, is a private, technology-focused, research university, located in Chicago, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, science, architecture, business, design, human sciences, applied technology, and law. One of 21 institutions that comprise the Association of Independent Technological Universities (AITU), Illinois Tech offers exceptional preparation for professions that require technological sophistication, an innovative mindset, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Visit www.iit.edu.

About NovAtel Inc.

NovAtel designs, manufactures and sells high precision OEM positioning technology. Developed for efficient and rapid integration, our products have set the standard in quality and performance for over 20 years. State-of-the-art, lean manufacturing facilities in our North American headquarters produce the industry’s most extensive line of OEM receivers, antennas and subsystems. All of our products are backed by a team of highly skilled application engineers.

NovAtel Inc. is part of Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B; hexagon.com), a leading global provider of information technologies that drive quality and productivity across geospatial and industrial enterprise applications.

For Project Inquiries:

Jonathan Auld, Director Safety Critical Systems
Tel:  +1 403-295-4934
Email: jon.auld@novatel.com

For Media Inquiries:

Lori Winkler, Manager, Marketing Communications
Tel:  +1 403-730-4677
Email: Lori.Winkler@novatel.com