Siouxland Section Computer Society Speaker Event: Enhancing Localization Trustworthiness in GPS-Challenged Autonomous Systems

Title of the talk: Enhancing Localization Trustworthiness in GPS-Challenged Autonomous Systems  
Abstract: Autonomous vehicles (AVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) rely extensively on GPS for navigation, leaving them exposed to spoofing and other localization attacks that can misdirect autonomous systems and undermine operational safety. This talk presents a structured progression of research aimed at strengthening localization security, beginning with single-sensor approaches that leverage inertial measurements and visual cues to detect inconsistencies between vehicle motion, reported GPS coordinates, and environmental context. Building on the insights gained from single-sensor modalities, the research advances toward multi-modal localization security, integrating information from LiDAR, cameras, IMUs, and geospatial map data to more reliably detect compromised positioning signals, particularly in GPS-challenged or adversarial environments. The talk also highlights emerging attack surfaces in both AV and UAV ecosystems, including vulnerabilities in broadcast identification, cooperative perception, and multi-modal AI models. Collectively, this work demonstrates how fused sensing and AI-driven analysis can significantly enhance the resilience and trustworthiness of next-generation autonomous systems.
Speaker: Prof. Peng Jiang, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Short Bio: Dr. Peng Jiang is an Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). His research lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, with a particular focus on designing intelligent, adaptive systems that detect and mitigate emerging threats in wireless communications, autonomous vehicles, and other cyber–physical systems. He holds a B.S. in Communication Engineering from Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications (2014) and both an M.E. and Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Old Dominion University (2017 and 2024, respectively).He has received several awards and honors, including an NSF CISE Research Initiation Initiative (CRII) Award in 2025, the University of Nebraska at Omaha Research and Creative Activity Award in 2025, and the PEARC 2025 Best Paper Award.
Co-sponsored by: EECS, South Dakota State University
Speaker(s): Peng Jiang,
Room: 218, Bldg: Daktronics Engineering Hall, DEH 218, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States, 57006