Navigation Pioneer Stan Honey Joins TERN to Advance AI-Powered GPS Alternative

AUSTIN, Texas, June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TERN, the company redefining navigation without reliance on GPS, today announced that Stan Honey, a pioneering technologist and inventor, has joined its advisory board. Honey is best known as the co-founder of Etak, where he led the development of the world's first commercial in-car navigation system, introducing core innovations like map-matching, years before GPS became mainstream.

Beyond automotive navigation, Honey, as co-founder of Sportvision, reshaped the landscape of live television by embedding overlays indicating real-time positioning into sports broadcasts. Among other innovations, he led the development of the yellow "first down" line for football and the virtual puck-tracking system for NHL games, two groundbreaking advancements that have become staples of live sports viewing. His career is marked by a unique ability to blend complex engineering with intuitive, real-world applications.

A world-class navigator in his own right, Honey has set multiple offshore sailing records and served as the lead navigator for multiple circumnavigation and trans-oceanic races and records. His precision under extreme conditions has made him one of the most respected figures in competitive sailing and maritime navigation.

"Stan's contributions laid the foundation for modern vehicle navigation," said Brett Harrison, President and Co-Founder of TERN. "Welcoming him to TERN is both an extraordinary honor and a powerful validation of our mission to build a resilient, next-generation alternative to GPS."

Honey's appointment comes as TERN continues development of its AI-powered Independently Derived Positioning System (IDPS™), a software-only platform that enables uninterrupted, turn-by-turn vehicle position and navigation without satellite signals. Tested by the U.S. Department of Transportation, IDPS™ leverages a vehicle's existing sensors and onboard map data to maintain continuous localization, even in GPS-denied environments like tunnels, urban canyons, and under electronic warfare conditions.

"My career has focused on solving the toughest positioning and navigation challenges, from long before GPS was available," said Honey. "What TERN is doing is not a marginal enhancement. It's an extension of positioning creating a fundamentally smarter and more robust navigation framework." 

The announcement follows increased federal urgency around secure Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) infrastructure. With the FCC evaluating standards and the national GPS dependency under scrutiny, TERN's infrastructure-free and spectrum-independent solution offers a software-driven path forward at scale.

"Stan built the technical foundations of this industry. Now, he's helping us define its future," Harrison added.

About TERN: TERN's patented and award-winning Independently Derived Positioning System (IDPS™) uses proprietary artificial intelligence to interpret real-time sensor inputs alongside continuously evolving map data, enabling precise vehicle positioning without reliance on satellites. Seamlessly integrated into existing vehicle systems, IDPS™ delivers a safer, more reliable navigation experience in even the most challenging environments. Built by a visionary team of AI engineers and professional navigators, TERN is redefining the future of wayfinding.

Learn more and request a test drive of IDPS ™.

Media Contact:
Julie Andersen
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SOURCE Tern