Frequently Asked Questions

Basics 

1. What is localization in the context of autonomous vehicles?  
   Localization refers to the process of determining an autonomous vehicle’s precise position and orientation within its environment. It goes beyond simple GPS coordinates and involves identifying the vehicle’s exact position on the road, understanding its orientation (which direction it’s facing), and recognizing its relation to other objects and landmarks. Effective localization is crucial for safe navigation, allowing the vehicle to make informed decisions about its movements and interactions with its surroundings. The term is used interchangeably with positioning.
2. Why is precise localization crucial for autonomous vehicles?  
   Precise localization is a foundational element of autonomous vehicle technology. It underpins safety, navigation, and effective interaction with the surrounding environment. Positioning itself correctly allows an AV to move from point A to point B accurately. It requires multiple sensors to follow the precise path while interacting with other vehicles, objects, and pedestrians.  
3. What are the primary methods for autonomous vehicle localization?  
   A combination of sensors and technologies, such as GPS, LiDAR, cameras, radar, and inertial measurement units (IMUs), are used to determine the AV’s position relative to its surroundings. 
4. How does automated navigation work in self-driving cars?
   Automated navigation in self-driving cars involves:
   1. Route planning: Determining the optimal path from start to destination
   2. Real-time localization: Continuously updating the vehicle’s position 
   3. Obstacle detection: Identifying and tracking other vehicles, pedestrians, and objects 
   4. Decision making: Choosing appropriate actions based on traffic rules and current conditions
   5. Motion control: Executing driving maneuvers safely and smoothly

GPR Specific 

1. What is the role of GPR technology in localization? 
   GPR Ground Positioning Radar uses ground penetrating radar to extract highly unique subterranean landmarks from deep beneath the driving surface to provide exceptionally robust vehicle positioning. Unlike many surface features typically used for localization by traditional sensors, the unique underground landmarks extracted by GPR are resilient over time and impervious to environmental conditions, including snow and rain, making GPR the most reliable system for vehicle localization.  
2. How deep can GPR penetrate the ground?  
   10 feet below the surface. 
3. What advantage does GPR have over other landmark localization systems? GPR’s key advantage is that its subsurface data is consistently detectable, highly stable, and protected from obstructions or adverse conditions that can degrade surface-based systems. This allows for more resilient and uninterrupted localization. It is also independent of GPS, which experiences outages in key operational domains.
4. What happens when someone digs down a new cable, water changes the attenuation, or in areas of highly attenuating soils? 
   GPR AI knows how to filter out saturation from the soil and focuses on the characteristics that matter for localization. 
5. What are the limitations of GPR in autonomous vehicle localization? 
   While GPR uptime surpasses other sensor fail points, there are limited scenarios where GPR mapping may not be possible, mostly limited to metal-only bridges or similar surfaces. 

WaveSense

1. What does WaveSense consist of?
   The WaveSense technology comprises three integral components: GroundSense, NavSense, and MapSense. 
2. What is GroundSense?
   GroundSense is the WaveSense sensor equipped with innovative radar technology. It is the hardware component of WaveSense technology. 
3. Where does GroundSense mount on a vehicle? 
   The sensor can be mounted anywhere in the vehicle’s undercarriage, seamlessly integrated into the chassis, or even into battery packs. 
4. What is NavSense?
   WaveSense’s proprietary matching algorithm and base localization software that is needed to operate GroundSense. 
5. What is MapSense?
   A powerful mapping suite that tailors the system to different use cases. MapSense allows you to position maps on the grid to localize with NavSense. 
6. Can I purchase NavSense without GroundSense?
   No, these products work in tandem.  
7. What if I need a specific size or form of hardware?
   GroundSense variations may include height and length, integrated or external CPU, and mechanical configuration (i.e. heavy-duty).
8. Is there an ongoing cost associated with WaveSense?
   A one-time purchase enables GroundSense to operate continuously. NavSense includes a yearly maintenance fee for bug fixes, security patches, and algorithmic OTA updates. 
9. What is the NavSense localization accuracy?
   Within 5 cm RMS.
10. What makes GPR WaveSense technology superior to localization methods like Lidar or computer vision?
    Unlike Lidar and computer vision, which can be affected by inclement weather and surface changes, GPR WaveSense operates independently of surface conditions. Relying on the underground environment eliminates common fail points associated with above-surface sensors, ensuring robust and reliable performance in various environments. 

Industry Specific 

1. Are there industries other than autonomous vehicles that use GPR for positioning?  
   GPR works across several applications. Successful case studies and tests have been seen in the military, mining, seaports, shuttles, trucking, off-road, etc. For more information, please visit our Industries page. Our commitment is to provide the most advanced method for localization, empowering autonomous fleets to navigate and operate everywhere humans can.