Automated Digital Road Map Generation for Automated Vehicle Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated vehicle systems face challenges in comprehensive and quantifiable simulation of diverse driving scenarios due to the complexity of representing all possible situations, which existing methods struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that automatically generates digital road maps by selecting permissible characteristics from a database, allowing for the creation of complex 2D or 3D maps with varied parameters, ensuring broad coverage and compatibility, while preventing impermissible combinations and ensuring consistency through a consistency check.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual creation methods (measuring real roads with sensor systems or using map editors) are used to create digital road maps, then the accuracy and detail of the road map can be ensured, but the complexity of the creation process increases significantly and the time required becomes extremely long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses OpenStreetMap data as a copy of real-world road networks, extracting and adapting existing map data rather than creating road maps from scratch through manual measurement. This copying approach maintains the accuracy of real road geometries while eliminating the need for complex sensor-based measurement processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical processes (physical road measurement with sensor systems, manual map editing) with automated computer-based processing. The system automatically extracts road data from OpenStreetMap, processes it through defined workflows, and generates simulation-ready road maps without human intervention in the creation process.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual creation methods are used to create digital road maps, then the road map can be created with specific details, but the time required for creation becomes extremely long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pre-existing OpenStreetMap data that has already been collected and structured, eliminating the need to perform time-consuming field measurements. The data is prepared in advance and can be directly processed for simulation purposes, significantly reducing creation time while maintaining detail accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces time-consuming manual processes with automated computer-based extraction and processing of OpenStreetMap data. The system automatically handles data conversion, road network extraction, and simulation map generation, reducing creation time from weeks or months to hours or minutes.
3Reliability
If automated vehicle systems are tested with all possible driving situations, then the reliability and safety of the system can be ensured, but the complexity of the test scenarios becomes infinitely large and unmanageable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically varies parameters such as road types, weather conditions, traffic scenarios, and vehicle behaviors to create diverse yet manageable test cases. By changing key parameters in controlled ways, the system covers a broad range of driving situations without becoming overwhelmed by infinite possibilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the vast space of possible driving situations into segmented categories (e.g., different road types, weather conditions, traffic patterns) and creates test scenarios by combining elements from each category. This segmentation makes the test scenario space manageable while still achieving comprehensive coverage.
4Reliability
If a comprehensive coverage of all possible driving situations is achieved in simulations, then the reliability of automated vehicle systems can be ensured, but the number of required road map variants becomes extremely large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal road map generation system that can produce multiple test scenarios from a single base road map by applying different parameter combinations (weather, traffic, vehicle types). This multi-functionality allows comprehensive simulation coverage without needing to create separate road maps for each scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves comprehensive simulation coverage by systematically varying parameters (weather conditions, traffic patterns, vehicle behaviors) on existing road maps rather than creating entirely new road map variants. This approach maintains simulation diversity while reducing the number of unique road map files required.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for providing a digital road map for testing an at least partially automated vehicle system. the method includes: accessing a database in which are stored permissible characteristics of the road properties for a multitude of road properties; creating at least one road map section by one of the possible characteristics being selected for the road map section for the first of the multitude of road properties, in each particular case in automated fashion from the database; providing the digital road map, the digital road map including the at least one road map section.