Deutsche Telekom's Precise Positioning Achieves Higher Accuracy Than GPS in Test

Deutsche Telekom, in partnership with Swift Navigation, has successfully tested its Precise Positioning solution, achieving superior accuracy compared to conventional GPS systems. The test drive covered 2,000 kilometers across five countries from Hanover to Barcelona, navigating complex scenarios including urban canyons, mountainous terrain, tunnels, and multi-lane traffic at toll booths.

The solution consistently delivered accuracy better than 34 centimeters 95 percent of the time during the test, a significant improvement over a comparative high-precision satellite system which measured 82 centimeters. Under optimal open-air conditions, the Precise Positioning system can achieve an accuracy of up to four centimeters, a level deemed critical for the safety requirements of autonomous vehicles.

Standard satellite navigation systems like GPS typically offer an accuracy of three to five meters, susceptible to atmospheric interference and signal reflections. Swift Navigation's Skylark positioning service corrects this raw satellite data using a network of specialized antennas that collect measurements from 40 to 50 satellites. Deutsche Telekom operates a fail-safe network of these reference stations across Europe.

During the test, a Telekom T IoT SIM card ensured reliable connectivity to Swift's cloud-based correction services. Pascal Lambert, IoT Project Manager at T-Systems International, noted the solution's cross-border reliability and exact positioning in real traffic. The system is expected to be suitable for mass-market adoption, advancing the future of autonomous mobility.