FocalPoint’s Precise+ Delivers Sub-Metre GNSS Accuracy in Challenging Environments

Key Takeaways

Focal Point Positioning introduced Precise+, enhancing GNSS positioning in challenging environments.
The technology achieves 80 cm accuracy even under difficult conditions, outperforming conventional receivers.
Precise+ aims to revolutionize automotive applications and improve the deployment of autonomy and ADAS features.

Introduction of Precise+

Focal Point Positioning, a UK-based company specializing in GNSS-enhancing software, has launched Precise+, a groundbreaking technology designed to provide reliable high-precision positioning in environments where traditional carrier phase tracking fails. The launch occurred at the European Navigation Conference 2026 in Vienna, Austria, marking a significant development in GNSS technology.

This innovative solution utilizes Focal Point’s patented Supercorrelation® platform and specifically addresses the issue of cycle slips, which disrupt real-time kinematic (RTK) and precise point positioning (PPP) systems, especially in challenging scenarios such as dense urban areas and under heavy tree cover.

Challenges with Conventional GNSS

Achieving centimetre-level positioning requires continuous carrier phase lock. However, interruptions in that lock are common in urban environments, leading to cycle slips that force systems to reinitialize. This becomes a major obstacle to the widespread implementation of autonomous driving systems and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

How Precise+ Addresses the Issue

Precise+ tackles the problem directly by extending the advantages of Supercorrelation® into the carrier phase domain, significantly enhancing performance under adverse conditions. The Precise+ software-defined receiver was assessed in Thetford Forest, a recognized testing ground for GNSS performance amidst dense foliage. The findings revealed that Precise+ maintained 80 cm accuracy at the 99th percentile, whereas state-of-the-art receivers exhibited errors of over 3 metres in similar conditions.

Notably, these results are based purely on receiver performance, with no reliance on inertial sensors, dead reckoning, or sensor fusion. This direct comparison against competitors underscores the substantial benefits that Precise+ can offer when combined with additional technologies such as RTK or PPP corrections.

Industry Implications and Future Prospects

Scott Pomerantz, CEO of Focal Point Positioning, emphasized that conventional RTK and PPP methods deliver excellent accuracy in open environments but falter in the presence of interference from tree cover or buildings. This limitation significantly narrows the deployment of autonomous technology to a small segment of usable roadways.

Moreover, traditional correction services often incur high ongoing costs per vehicle and fail to address the root issues that arise at the receiver level when signal quality diminishes. As a result, manufacturers may invest in high-precision systems that do not perform adequately where it is most crucial.

With the introduction of Precise+, Focal Point Positioning aims to extend the operational capabilities of high-precision GNSS. This allows original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to confidently implement autonomy and ADAS functions across real-world driving conditions, maximizing the value of existing investments.

Focal Point is collaborating with leading chipset manufacturers to ensure the successful market introduction of Precise+, which is geared towards automotive applications, including automated driving, ADAS, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication.

For more information, interested parties may visit the official Focal Point Positioning website.

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