KPI Plug-In Evaluation for Autonomous Driving Scenario Testing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for testing and validating autonomous driving functions are resource-intensive and time-consuming, often requiring extensive real-world testing that is impractical due to cost and time constraints, and fail to adequately simulate critical driving scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method using KPI plug-ins for scenario-based testing, allowing dynamic and reusable selection of key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate simulations and test cases, with automatic execution and management by a KPI plug-in mechanism, enabling optimized test case generation and parameter configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If extensive real-world testing is conducted to validate autonomous driving functions, then testing coverage and reliability are improved, but time consumption and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetesting coverageVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of real-world driving scenarios through simulation environments. These simulated scenarios replicate critical driving situations, road conditions, and traffic patterns without requiring physical test vehicles on actual roads. The virtual test environments allow comprehensive coverage of billions of kilometers equivalent testing while consuming minimal real time and resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary validation of autonomous driving functions through simulation-based testing before deploying to real-world conditions. By pre-testing various scenarios including edge cases and critical situations in virtual environments, the system identifies and resolves issues beforehand, reducing the need for extensive iterative real-world testing and accelerating the validation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If traditional testing methods are used to cover all potential driving situations, then testing completeness is improved, but resource requirements and testing effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetesting completenessVSAvoidtesting efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic scenario generation and selection mechanisms that adaptively create and prioritize test scenarios based on predefined criteria such as safety criticality, scenario frequency, and validation progress. The system dynamically adjusts testing focus, intensifying resources on high-priority scenarios while reducing effort on low-risk situations, thereby achieving comprehensive coverage with optimized resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent systematically varies key parameters such as weather conditions, road surfaces, traffic density, vehicle speeds, and sensor configurations to generate diverse test scenarios. By methodically changing these parameters across simulated environments, the system achieves comprehensive coverage of potential driving situations without manually designing each scenario, significantly improving testing efficiency while maintaining completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If simulation-based testing is used to reduce real-world testing requirements, then time and cost are reduced, but scenario coverage and critical situation detection may be insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetesting efficiencyVSAvoidscenario coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the overall testing process into distinct simulation phases including unit testing of individual sensors and actuators, integration testing of subsystems, and system-level validation. Each phase uses appropriately tailored simulated scenarios focused on specific aspects of autonomous driving functionality, ensuring comprehensive coverage while maintaining efficient resource utilization across different testing levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where simulation results are automatically analyzed and used to refine and generate subsequent test scenarios. The system learns from simulated test outcomes, identifying gaps in scenario coverage and automatically creating new test cases that target uncovered situations. This iterative feedback loop ensures progressively improving scenario coverage while maintaining efficient simulation-based testing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4105811B1Computer-implemented method for scenario-based testing and / or homologation of at least partially autonomous travel functions to be tested by key performance indicators (KPI)
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 DSPACE SE & CO KG
  • EP4105811B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4105811B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4105811B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Computer-implemented method for evaluating simulations and/or test cases in scenario-based testing and/or homologation of at least partially autonomous driving functions to be tested by means of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), wherein KPIs are represented by KPI plug-ins and KPI plug-ins are selected dynamically and reusable for simulations and/or test cases, and wherein at least one KPI plug-in is selected by a KPI plug-in mechanism during the simulation and/or test definition and is automatically executed by the KPI plug-in mechanism during execution.