AUTOMOTIVE
INDUSTRY FOCUS
ENHANCING ANTENNA PERFORMANCE AND AESTHETICS IN
AUTONOMOUS CARS
As automakers race towards vehicle autonomy, a key focus is on global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antennas. Jez Ellis-Gray, product
manager at Focal Point Positioning, explains how automotive manufacturers can strike a balance between GNSS accuracy and antenna design
A
ccording to a UK Government report, by 2035 40% of new cars in the UK could have self-driving capabilities. However, reliable
GNSS positioning is fundamental for autonomous vehicles, providing real-time, accurate, geographic location data. This information can help the vehicle stay on the correct route, align with high-definition maps, and make decisions about whether to turn, stop or change lanes. Standard GNSS accuracy typically ranges
from 3-5m under normal conditions. To achieve higher levels of positioning accuracy, automakers can utilise correction services like Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) and Precision Point Positioning (PPP) to enable carrier-phase tracking. While standard GNSS relies on the satellite signal’s code, carrier-phase tracking uses the far shorter wavelength of the satellite signal’s carrier wave to calculate position with greater precision. Automotive OEMs have a choice to make. Many designers of high-functioning ADAS systems opt for carrier-phase GNSS to provide the highest accuracy GNSS to their products. This method enables centimetre-level positioning, but it also places a greater demand on the GNSS antenna performance. It is important to note, however, that many other variables and options can influence GNSS system accuracy, including internal measurement units (IMUs), sensor fusion and antenna selection and integration.
THE ANTENNA DILEMMA GNSS antennas provide accurate positioning data to vehicle navigation and autonomous driving systems. By reliably receiving and processing satellite signals, the antenna influences how well a vehicle can determine its position. As autonomous driving technologies rely on high-precision positioning methods like RTK and PPP, the antenna system’s quality and capability have become critical. Without
proper specification and integration, carrier phase positioning is brittle and will struggle in challenging, high-multipath environments. For design engineers and automakers, antenna
aesthetics are an important consideration, with many having previously opted for the ‘shark fin’ design. However, as more automakers value sleeker vehicle exteriors and better aerodynamics, many are now favouring more discreet alternatives, including fully concealed antennas integrated into the roof structure or embedded within the windscreen. Though visually appealing, such compact and hidden designs can compromise signal reception and overall antenna performance.
Cost is another constant pressure. Automotive OEMs are under pressure to minimise the bill of materials (BOM), leading them to opt for lower- cost antenna options that may sacrifice signal quality. High-performance antennas with features like multi-element arrays are available, which can deliver superior signal reception. However, they’re often large and very expensive.
WHAT IS S-GNSS AUTO? As autonomous vehicles evolve, automakers are trying to find ways to improve their GNSS measurements so that advanced positioning techniques like RTK and PPP can continue to function, even with smaller or lower-cost antennas. This is a challenge, but it will enable manufacturers to work within design and cost restraints without sacrificing accuracy. Focal Point Positioning developed S-GNSS Auto
to help break this trade-off between antenna size, cost and performance. S-GNSS Auto boosts line-of-sight signals and rejects non-line-of- sight signals, helping vehicles maintain accuracy in challenging environments like urban canyons and forest roads. Delivered as a simple firmware upgrade, it transforms GNSS into a more reliable, powerful component of the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) stack. This can help manufacturers mitigate the
challenges associated with bringing more compact, concealed antennas into their vehicle designs. This means they can become less reliant on expensive antenna hardware while still meeting the positioning requirements of higher- level driver assistance and autonomous cars. If 40% of all new cars are to be self-driving by 2035, automakers must balance navigational accuracy with aesthetics, and GNSS antennas are a prime example. Using the right technology, manufacturers can install smaller, more discreet and cost-effective antennas without sacrificing the precision needed for RTK, PPP and other advanced positioning techniques.
FocalPoint Positioning
https://focalpointpositioning.com
A MATERIAL TWIST FOR VEHICLE SAFETY
Researchers from universities in Scotland and Italy have developed a material with a unique lattice shape that allows it to twist into itself to effectively protect against a range of impact types and severities. Unlike conventional foams or crumple zones, the material’s response to blows can be mechanically
controlled, altering its energy absorption. It can be fine-tuned to provide stiffer resistance to heavy collisions or softer cushioning for lighter impacts. The material is made from steel using AM, providing the team with fine-grained control over the material’s architecture, allowing them to weave a complex, highly porous shape known as a gyroid lattice throughout it. When the material is compressed by an external force, it twists in a corkscrew-like motion, absorbing the impact energy. Professor Shanmugam Kumar of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering
led the research. He said: “This study introduces adaptive twisting metamaterials as a new class of metamaterials that don’t require any complex electronics or hydraulics to adapt. Instead, they can adapt simply through mechanical control of rotation. When we apply compression, the gyroid lattice translates it into twist, and by changing the boundary conditions, we can tune the energy absorption characteristics. These materials can adapt and change their own characteristics depending on the impact type and severity to mitigate effects. “We believe the material could find applications in both automotive and aerospace safety in the
future, providing a single new class of material capable of adapting to different needs as required. It could also support the development of novel forms of energy harvesting, by converting impacts into rotational kinetic energy.”
University of Glasgow
www.gla.ac.uk/ NOVEMBER 2025 DESIGN SOLUTIONS 39
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