GNSS vulnerabilities and vehicle applications

Abstract

The progress of vehicle-automation requires vehicle location with higher accuracy, shorter time-delay, and higher time-resolution, furthermore, many safety connected-vehicle applications, for example, crash-warning with vehicle-to-vehicle communication require more accurate time-stamps on the data from individual vehicles. Therefore, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) typified by GPS (Global Positioning System) which is currently applied to non-safety vehicle applications, has to detect more accurate location with shorter time-delay and higher time-resolution. However, the low signal strength of GNSS reception-signals on the earth and the widely disclosed GNSS signal format bring vulnerabilities of signal jamming and location/clock spoofing. In this report, first, we examine accuracy, latency, and time-resolution requirements of location-detection on each vehicle application which (may) use GNSS. Then we discuss how GNSS vulnerabilities may harm vehicle applications. Finally, we conclude this report with various technical countermeasures and government/industry initiatives against these GNSS vulnerabilities.