GPS is important for the functioning of crucial systems in our contemporary society, encompassing aviation, road networks, emergency and disaster response, precision farming, electricity grids, weather forecasting, and military defense. The reliance on that is becoming an issue.
“We are facing a heightened risk from foreign adversaries who have demonstrated the ability to interfere, disable, or manipulate GPS signals, which is alarming,” stated Shaun Moore, the CEO and co-founder of Tern AI, a firm aiming to offer an alternative to GPS, in an interview with TechCrunch. “If such an event were to occur, it would have a devastating effect on the economy of the United States.”
Moore, who previously sold his company Trueface to Pangiam in 2021, stated that Tern AI aims to eliminate the vulnerability that now exists with GPS technology.
Tern AI emerged from stealth mode in February and just secured a $4.4 million seed funding round from Scout Ventures, Shadow Capital, Bravo Victor VC, and Veteran Fund. The firm has developed an Independently Derived Positioning System (IDPS) that is capable of determining the location of a vehicle or somebody without the need for satellite signals. This implies that there is no risk of interference, obstruction, or areas with no signal obstructing an accurate location.
“We can perform the functions of GPS without the need to communicate with space and inquire about our location,” stated Moore.
The existing system operates by utilizing GPS receivers installed in vehicles or mobile devices to intercept signals transmitted by satellites orbiting the Earth. The signals encompass satellite data and the exact timing of their transmission. The GPS receivers utilize the time it takes for each signal to travel in order to compute the distance to each satellite. Through the process of triangulation, the receiver is able to calculate its precise location, which is subsequently shown on applications such as Google Maps or Waze.
This strategy, which is also adopted by newer constellations such as Europe’s Galileo, establishes a worldwide and standardized positioning technology. However, it is also vulnerable to local disturbances. For example, GPS spoofing has been employed to redirect commercial vessels into U.S. Navy shipping lanes, and certain shipping companies have encountered signal interference that causes complete disruption of their operations. Although the chances of your car’s GPS system being targeted by agents of adversarial states are low, there are several military and civilian assets that are vulnerable and would benefit from a more secure solution.
Tern AI’s Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS) utilizes an artificial intelligence model that processes real-time vehicle and phone sensor data, along with third-party map data, to deliver a reliable and accurate position. The software package for this model can be downloaded and installed onto a compatible vehicle’s infotainment system. If the vehicle is not compatible, the system can be downloaded onto a smartphone. The Tern model has the capability to utilize phone sensor data for location determination. However, in certain scenarios, the smartphone will be required to retrieve car sensor data from the vehicle’s on-board diagnostics port.
Moore stated that the objective is for prominent mapping platforms such as Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze to obtain positioning data from Tern’s AI model instead of relying on GPS. In the future, the startup intends to contact those vendors to initiate negotiations for direct integration.
The primary advantage of Tern AI is its utilization of artificial intelligence to analyze existing sensor data, such as speed and motion sensors, found on smartphones and vehicles. Moore observed that Tern does not depend on computer vision and cameras to ascertain its positioning.
Diana Furchtgott-Roth, former deputy assistant secretary for Research and Technology at the DOT, praised Tern AI’s technology as a cost-effective solution to a long-standing problem that the DOT has been addressing for many years, mostly because to its utilization of preexisting sensors.
Alternative options to GPS satellites, such as low Earth orbit satellites and terrestrial beacons, are indeed remarkable but come with a substantial cost for installation and maintenance.
“GPS technology has remained largely unchanged for the past 50 years, and the proposed solutions to address or reduce risk are only minor enhancements.” “It lacks genuine innovation,” Moore stated.
The user observed that although there have been enhancements to GPS, its fundamental characteristics have remained unchanged, and there have not been significant developments to safeguard GPS from being targeted.
One of our fundamental concepts was to rely solely on internal sources to decide our position, disregarding any external signals. By incorporating intelligence into all the resources at your disposal, you can achieve that goal.
Tern has predominantly verified its technology through internal testing utilizing the framework established by the U.S. Department of Transportation. According to Moore, Tern’s IDPS has the ability to accurately place cars within a range of 4 meters, which aligns with the current guidelines set by the DOT for emergency services.
The business is preparing to commence testing in July with its go-to-market collaborator, a prominent player in the logistics, shipping, and delivery industry whose identity Moore refrained from disclosing. The commercial release of Tern is planned for September.
The business is also engaging in discussions with emergency services and autonomous last-mile delivery providers, which are industries that heavily depend on accurate positioning data to successfully carry out their operations or fulfill their tasks. Moore anticipates that in the future, the Department of Defense and the DOT will form a partnership.
“Upon our initial encounter with Tern AI, what impressed us the most was the distinctiveness and scalability of their approach in addressing a crucial issue in national security,” stated Stephen DiBartolomeo, a principal at Scout Ventures. “Upon realizing the practical commercial applications and the compatibility with road autonomy, their vision for redefining positioning strongly resonated with us.”
