U-BLOX - SIEMENS INTEGRATES THE U-BLOX ZED-F9K HIGH PRECISION DEAD RECKONING MODULE INTO ITS V2X TEST FLEET
The ZED‑F9K turnkey solution minimizes the effort required to achieve decimeter‑level positioning accuracy in automotive applications.
Thalwil, Switzerland – u‑blox, a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets, is announcing that Siemens has integrated the u‑blox ZED‑F9K high precision dead reckoning module into its Toyota Prius V2X (vehicle‑to‑everything) test fleet. Siemens carried out live demonstrations of the technology at the ITS European Congress 2019 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
As the only available source of absolute position, satellite‑based positioning plays a crucial role in advanced driver automation systems and driverless vehicles. The same is true in V2X communication, in which vehicles continuously share their location and other information with other traffic participants – cars and pedestrians – as well as surrounding infrastructure, improving road safety and reducing traffic congestion.
V2X test vehicles typically determine their position using high‑end, expensive GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) receivers. While these provide highly accurate position information, they fail to realistically represent the hardware that will be deployed in vehicles produced for the mass market. By opting to use the ZED‑F9K turnkey solution for high precision dead reckoning, Siemens was able to align the performance of their test fleet with real world conditions while also reducing the cost and the engineering effort required to develop their vehicles.
"We’ve had a very positive experience with u‑blox’s ZED‑F9K high precision dead reckoning solution. The product delivered strongly from the initial design‑in to the data and performance in our first tests," says Igor Passchier, Engineering fellow, Connected and Automated Driving at Siemens PLM Software. "It underscores the reputation of u‑blox as a trusted innovator in GNSS technology."
"Our collaboration with Siemens shows the extent to which the ZED‑F9K turnkey solution saves OEMs time, cost, and engineering effort while providing decimeter‑level positioning performance," says Alex Ngi, Product Strategy for Dead Reckoning, Product Center Positioning, u‑blox. "For us, it has also been a welcome opportunity to contribute to solving the challenges in the autonomous driving ecosystem."
u‑blox ZED‑F9K
The module combines the latest generation of GNSS receiver technology, signal processing algorithms, and correction services to deliver down to decimeter‑level accuracy within seconds, addressing the evolving needs of ADAS (Advanced Driver‑Assistance Systems) and automated driving markets.
The ZED‑F9K high precision dead reckoning module builds on the u‑blox F9 technology platform. Compatibility with modern GNSS correction services further improves positioning accuracy by compensating ionospheric and other errors. The multi‑band, multi‑constellation RTK (Real Time Kinematics) receiver module receives GNSS signals from all orbiting GNSS constellations. A greater number of visible satellites improves positioning performance in partially obstructed conditions, while increased satellite signal diversity delivers faster convergence times when signals are interrupted.
Inertial sensors integrated into the module constantly monitor changes in the moving vehicle’s trajectory and continue to deliver lane accurate positioning when satellite signals are partially or completely obstructed as is the case when the vehicle is in parking garages, tunnels, urban canyons, or forested areas. When satellite signals become available again, the module combines inertial sensor data with GNSS signals to deliver fast convergence times and high availability of the decimeter‑level solution.
The result of this combination of the latest developments in GNSS technology, correction services, and inertial sensing is a tenfold increase in positioning performance over standard precision solutions.
By robustly providing lane accurate position information, the ZED‑F9K meets the needs of ADAS and autonomous driving applications, as well as head units and advanced navigation systems. The module’s accuracy and low latency also makes it ideal for automotive OEMs and Tier 1s developing V2X (Vehicle‑to‑everything) communication systems. By continuously sharing their location with other traffic participants, these V2X systems contribute to increasing overall road safety and reducing traffic congestion.
