Overview
GPS based systems have shortcomings for the freight and logistics sector in specific situations (limited spatial accuracy and availability in difficult environments, no information on integrity). The use with EGNOS improves spatial accuracy and furnishes integrity information, which can be further improved when used with information provided by EDAS.
What still has not been tackled is the position solution when visibility of GNSS satellites is limited (e.g. in urban canyons) or completely obstructed (e.g. in tunnels). By use of dead reckoning and linking in vehicle OBU to the CAN-bus and calculate positional information, equipment and the OBU installation costs increased considerably.
However, not all GNSS applications need real-time availability of positional information. In many cases it is sufficient to have this information with a time lag of a couple of minutes. Examples are: Insurance (pay per use), documentation for winter service, route controlling (e.g. for hazardous goods), cost determination for Car-Pool, car sharing, and control of usage behaviour, or calculation of CO2 Footprint.
Easy-OBU steps in exactly here if the application can tolerate the position determination with a short delay for scenarios of GNSS outage, and applies an innovative filtering approach to cover blind spots and provides the necessary data for the accurate computation. In the presence of GNSS, Easy-OBU provides real time data for in car applications, in the absence this approach delivers robust navigation under very economic conditions. This saves considerable costs for the Easy-OBU hard- and software, as well as for the necessary installation of the Easy-OBU installation of the Easy-OBU into the vehicle.
The use is independent of vehicle type and the open interface can be used to integrate different applications. Galileo will enhance the system by improved availability, integrity and accuracy.
Easy-OBU enables the most economical solution for demanding GNSS applications.