Improving the Future of GNSS for Connected and Automated Mobility: Real-World Driving Trials Report
Navigational accuracy and resilience in Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) environments is critical, especially when traditional GNSS signals are compromised by dense urban settings and interference. Helix Geospace, in collaboration with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, has completed extensive real-world driving trials as part of the Zenzic CAM Scale-Up Programme Exploitation Phase, validating advanced antenna technologies designed specifically for challenging GNSS conditions.
The trials, conducted near Stratford International Train Station in London—a region notorious for severe electromagnetic and multipath interference—tested Helix’s GNSS antenna solutions alongside industry benchmarks. Helix’s HXGL02852 antenna, paired with Sony’s dual-band L1/L5 GNSS receiver, consistently outperformed market-leading alternatives, demonstrating significant resilience to unintentional RF interference from nearby railway infrastructure.
A key highlight from the trials was Helix’s Advanced Adaptive Antenna, built on proprietary Dielectrix technology. Integrated seamlessly with Sony’s CXD5611GF GNSS dual band L1 and L5 receiver with disciplined Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Untethered Dead Reckoning (UDR) algorithms, this system averagely maintained positional accuracy within 20 cm*—even without reliance on expensive RTK corrections—in highly challenging GNSS environments. Notably, during testing through London’s Blackwall Tunnel, the Helix Advanced Adaptive Antenna System effectively tracked precise positions in the complete absence of GNSS signals, unlike competing systems that showed significant drift.
These findings underscore the critical role of advanced GNSS antenna technology in enabling safer, more reliable navigation solutions for CAM and micromobility applications. Helix Geospace’s innovative, compact solutions represent a major step forward in achieving high-integrity positioning, essential for the widespread adoption of autonomous and connected vehicle systems.
*20 com accuracy from the test vehicles onboard Truth System.
