Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Trippstadter Straße Foto
© Fraunhofer ITWM
Trippstadter Straße Foto

Picture of the real scene (Trippstadter Straße, Kaiserslautern).

© Fraunhofer ITWM

Georeferenced 3D-laser scan of the environment.

Automatic 3D-laser scan colorization.

Automatic semantic segmentation and classification of the scanner data.

Digital Environmental Data for Development, Evaluation and Validation of Automation Systems

VMC® Road-and-Scene-Generator

Since many years, we deal with the statistical analysis of geo-referenced data in order to support and improve the virtual evaluation of vehicles. While assistance and automation systems get more and more complex, traditional testing and proving procedures are reaching their limits.

Current approaches such as the description of the logic of road networks often fail when capturing complex edge cases. However, these are omnipresent in reality, e.g., incomplete lane markings or damaged road surfaces. Even in the absence of lane markings, assistance systems have to ensure safe driving conditions. This must already be taken into account in the development process.

The »VMC® Road and Scene Generator« is a software package is currently developed at our institute and enables the virtual development and evaluation of automation systems based on real environment data.
 

The process works as follows:

  • First we select a representative city with traditional statistical methods with regard to selected criteria such as gradient characteristics. 
  • We then capture it using the institute’s measuring car REDAR and save it as a 3D point cloud.
  • We apply methods of Machine Learning and deep learning neuronal networks to analyze and classify the data.
  • Relevant objects such as vehicles, lanes, lane markings, buildings, etc. are automatically identified.
  • This information provide a key component for a highly accurate sensor simulation since additional attributes can be made available for each object and each point, e.g., material properties, reflection and absorption characteristics depending on various electromagnetic wavelengths, etc.

The data analysis and classification is highly automated leading to a highly efficient overall process.

 

Environmental Data in OpenDrive® Format and Extended Information

Apart from this procedure, the Road and Scene Generator offers the option of generating and exporting environmental data in OpenDrive® format for individual routes in a specific region exclusively on the basis of VMC®'s own geo-referenced database. This can be done without any additional measurement.

In addition, VMC® then offers the option of enriching exported routes with additional information, such as roughness data, traffic information or driver-, vehicle- and traffic-dependent speed profiles. These data are then used as inputs for test benches or other HiL scenarios and tests.

Scene Generation:

Automated processing of the measured data (REDAR data and drone data) enables us to capture real environments and generate a digital version as a 3D environment. The virtual world generated in this way has a very good fit with the surface model in the track area and allows drivers to immerse themselves in the world in the RODOS driving simulator.

In the interactive demo scene, you can drive over the generated TRIWO terrain and experience the TRIWO Testcenter Pferdsfeld.

With the keys W,A,S,D or the arrow keys you can determine the driving direction.

With the shift key you can speed up, with Strg/Ctrl you can slow down.

With the right mouse button you can look around.

If you have problems with the display, you can open the demo scene in a new window.