Solar superstorm knocked GPS off by 10 meters, study says
A 2025 solar superstorm caused GPS errors up to 10 meters across the US, posing a “catastrophic” risk to autonomous vehicles, researchers report.
The researchers state that GPS errors of just 1-2 meters (3.3-6.6 feet) can cause “catastrophic issues for precision agriculture and autonomous vehicles,” meaning the observed 10-meter errors represented serious interference. However, the study does not provide specific details of any incidents involving self-driving cars or farming machinery.
According to the researchers, if the storm had occurred during the main farming season, the damage could have been much worse. A solar storm in May 2024 was estimated to have cost the US agriculture industry around $500 million. The health risk to people on the ground is minimal, although airplane passengers flying close to the ionosphere might experience radiation bursts equivalent to several X-ray scans. These storms also produce vibrant auroras near the poles.
The study team emphasizes that since the Sun cannot be turned off, the best way to protect infrastructure and technology from such storms is to improve scientific prediction models and upgrade hardware protections. “The results underscore the importance of accurate understanding of various space weather phenomena to enhance our predictive capabilities through coordinated observations and physics-based modeling and ultimately reducing disruptions to RF applications during space weather events,” the researchers write.