Hybrid GNSS Antenna Characterization for Improved Vehicle Localization

The accuracy of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signal reception is crucial for precise navigation and geodetic positioning. Signal interactions with objects near the receiving antenna can cause multipath errors and distort GNSS antenna group delays, thereby reducing the achievable positioning accuracy. To mitigate these effects, the distortions can be predicted in advance and sub-sequently reduced through a calibration approach. This approach is possible, for example, for static errors, such as those caused by interactions between the antenna and the installation platform, for instance, on a car. This paper addresses the accurate prediction of distortions caused by the installation of the antenna on a car in automotive scenarios. This work intro-duces a hybrid calibration approach that combines real-world data and sim-ulations to enhance GNSS antenna performance predictions. This approach allows the simulation to reconstruct the effect of the mounting platform on the data of an individual antenna previously measured in an anechoic chamber, thereby predicting the final error of the installed antenna on the platform. This methodology is then validated and compared with a GNSS-based calibration of the antenna performed directly on a car, i.e., inherently including installation effects. The results show that approximately 48% of the sky plot region exhibits a code phase variation difference within ±25 cm, indicating a high level of accuracy and consistency.