As we increasingly rely on GPS for navigation and critical infrastructure, its vulnerability to total failure during common signal interference poses growing risks. One can also draw parallels to past technological shifts, such as the move from landlines to cell phones, to argue for the adoption of new, more advanced, and focused solutions that provide continuous, real-time navigation without relying on a tether to external signals, ensuring accuracy even in tunnels, urban canyons, and other GPS-denied environments.

In the past two decades, we’ve witnessed monumental shifts in how we communicate and consume information. Cutting the cord from landlines to cell phones and from cable television to internet streaming wasn’t about rejecting old systems but embracing new ones that offered more freedom, flexibility, and resilience. Now, it’s time for another technological leap: cutting the cord on GPS signals for positioning and navigation.

The Issues with GPS

The Global Positioning System (GPS) has dominated navigation for over five decades, providing position data for everything from consumer delivery applications to autonomous vehicles on the road. However, like landlines and cable TV, the “cord” of signal required for GPS inherently introduces frequent, catastrophic failures to the system. Satellite signals are often obstructed by tall buildings in urban environments, lost in tunnels, or disrupted by natural phenomena like solar storms. And with adversaries now more emboldened, GPS’s vulnerability to intentional jamming or spoofing, posing serious risks to critical infrastructure and national security. The GPS signal we are all so accustomed to can be viewed like the cord of a house phone; if the cord (signal) is removed, the device instantly fails in its entirety.

Recent incidents highlight these vulnerabilities. For instance, during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, GPS jamming and spoofing became prevalent, affecting civilian and military navigation systems across the region and into the Nordics. Reports indicate that Russian forces employed electronic warfare tactics to disrupt GPS signals, hindering both economic and military efforts.

Enter intelligence-based positioning systems. These advanced solutions, launched last year, leverage artificial intelligence to continuously predict and verify positions in real time. Unlike traditional GPS, they operate independently of external signals, providing reliable navigation without a “cord.” Given today’s threats and the limitations of GPS combined with our collective reliance upon it both personally and economically, it’s necessary to move beyond the comfortable notion that GPS should be burdened as the only solution for this increasingly complex task. Embracing this next-generation technology will improve daily life within the domestic economy, protect critical systems, and bolster national resilience against emerging threats.

Why We Need Alternatives to GPS

This isn’t about replacing GPS; it’s about complementing and advancing this critical infrastructure with a low cost, “cordless” system that’s robust and adaptable. Consider the parallels: We didn’t abandon landlines because they were unreliable but because cell phones offered untethered communication. Similarly, we didn’t ditch cable TV because it stopped working but because internet-based streaming provided more options and on-demand access. These transitions weren’t driven by the failure of old systems but by the capabilities of new ones.

Reducing signal dependency in navigation is a natural progression. Intelligent positioning systems ensure continuity where triangulation is limited such as: in urban canyons, under dense foliage, deep within tunnels, and even during intentional disruptions. As our cities grow denser and our reliance on automated systems increases, we must ensure that navigation infrastructure is robust and tailored to meet the demands and address the threats of the future.

The Future of Navigation

We’ve seen the power of cutting the cord in communication and entertainment, and it’s time to do the same for navigation. The risks of relying solely on triangulation are too great, and the technology to overcome these limitations is already here. It’s time to embrace a future where navigation is intelligent, safer, and truly independent.

Tern’s patented and award-winning Independently Derived Positioning System (IDPS™) is applies intelligence to existing 3D motion data from vehicles, along with information from base maps, resulting in the most refined navigation experience yet. IDPS™ is the future of navigation. Learn more >