As GPS disruption intensifies, positioning continues without satellites or signal
AUSTIN, Texas, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TERN today announced a significant expansion of its Independently Derived Positioning System (IDPS™), bringing reliable localization and turn-by-turn navigation to trails, unpaved routes, and remote terrain, even when GPS and connectivity drop.
Turn-by-turn navigation, like what we've come to expect from apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps, now extends beyond the road. And unlike every other navigation app, it stays on when GPS goes off, even in remote or denied environments.
With this release, TERN introduces:
- Continuous positioning across on and off-road environments
- Turn-by-turn navigation on trails, including waypoint-based routing
- Real-time self healing that maintains position accuracy without external input
- Intelligent off-road system that improves with every drive learning roads, patterns, and vehicle behavior.
- Resilient route visibility in remote and unstructured terrain
Dual-use by design, the new capability enables automotive OEMs to deliver a navigation experience that continues beyond the paved road, giving drivers the confidence to adventure further without losing where they are - even if they lose connectivity. Further, it unlocks military operations in contested environments, as well as commercial industries that operate beyond paved roads, including forestry, mining, construction, and large-scale logistics.
IDPS™ runs on the systems already inside the vehicle, enabling operation in fully denied environments without cameras, GPS, or cellular connectivity. This expansion extends that capability beyond the road network, unlocking continuous position and navigation in environments where routing has historically degraded or stopped entirely.
"Modern navigation has always been conditional, dependent on signal, coverage, and environment. TERN breaks that model, delivering a continuous, trusted position wherever the vehicle operates," said Shaun Moore, Co-founder and CEO of TERN.
The announcement comes at a time when GPS disruption, including interference and jamming, is no longer limited to conflict zones but increasingly affects everyday environments. As reliance on positioning grows across transportation, logistics, and defense, continuity has become a requirement.
"Our off-road signal-free positioning and route guidance breakthrough highlights the innovation we are pushing in this industry," said Brett Harrison, Co-founder and President of TERN. "Position is embedded in almost everything today. We want you only to be lost in the outdoors if you want to be."
TERN's approach has gained recognition across commercial and government sectors, including a Special Mention in TIME's Best Inventions of 2025, a CES Innovation Award in Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility, selection into the NATO DIANA cohort, contracts with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army, and a win in the U.S. Army's xTech Overwatch competition.
As lawmakers wrestle with how to handle the threat of attacks on GPS, this new technology by TERN is paving new paths to solve the issue.
ABOUT TERN: TERN's software-based positioning layer enables vehicles to determine their location with zero reliance on satellites, infrastructure, or external signals. Its patented, AI-powered Independently Derived Positioning System (IDPS™) delivers continuous, intelligent positioning and navigation across both on- and off-road environments for automotive, fleet, defense, and government applications. Built by former special operators and AI pioneers, IDPS™ shifts positioning from something vehicles receive to something they generate, creating a new foundation for any system that depends on knowing where it is.
Learn more and request a test drive of IDPS ™
Media Contact:
Julie Andersen
[email protected]
SOURCE TERN
Share this article