Application
Government
Tern ensures positioning and navigation data is available even when traditional communications networks are down, and is more secure than satellite-geolocation when it comes to jamming, spoofing, and hacking—all known threats to national security.
Key use cases
No new hardware
No new hardware
IDPS can be installed as a software-only package in factories, leveraging the existing sensors and hardware already integrated into vehicles.
Enhanced safety
Enhanced safety
Consistent positioning ensures optimal performance of safety-critical systems, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
Seamless navigation experience
Seamless navigation experience
Improved onboard navigation minimizes reliance on CarPlay or Android Auto, allowing the vehicle’s native infotainment system to shine as the center of the driving experience.
“America’s continued over-reliance on GPS for PNT makes critical infrastructure and applications vulnerable to a variety of well documented accidental, natural, and malicious threats.”
Thaad Allen | Chair of the President’s National Space-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board, in a 2024 memo
$5.6B+
Budgeted for DoD-maintained GPS satellites over 3 years
Source: gps.gov
69%
Of aviation crew report ‘very high’/’extreme’ concern about GPS spoofing
$5.6B+
Budgeted for DoD-maintained GPS satellites over 3 years
Source: gps.gov
69%
Of aviation crew report ‘very high’/’extreme’ concern about GPS spoofing
Awards & Press
Stories and accolades from the open road. See what people have been saying about Tern.
Government FAQs
All that’s needed to use IDPS™ are vehicle sensor data and digital base maps.
GPS comes with three main challenges: It represents a single point of failure, it requires users to have a signal, and, because GPS is a hardware, it is burdensome to maintain over time. Tern’s IDPS™ is an alternative to GPS, allowing us to move away from a single point of failure if the United States’ satellites should go down. Tern also works with and without signal, meaning it works even in complex urban environments and in remote locations. And finally, IDPS™ is a software, not a hardware, so it can be installed in cars and devices at the manufacturer level, and updated over time. Unlike GPS, it is constantly evolving and learning.
For more information on why this is an urgent issue, visit the Why Tern page.
IDPS™ leverages Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning to determine a vehicle’s position using data from onboard sensors, road network characteristics, and environmental cues. This allows for accurate navigation even when GPS signals are unavailable, which happens most frequently due to interference, jamming, and obstructions.
How does Tern work?