Virtual ADAS Scenario Generation for Corner Case Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for testing autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance systems (AD/ADAS) require extensive real-world testing, which is time-consuming and costly, and struggle to expose vehicles to rare corner case scenarios effectively.

Innovation Solution

A virtual environment simulating real-world traffic scenarios is created using computer-controlled and human-controlled virtual objects, allowing users to generate and identify scenarios, including corner cases, through a user interface, facilitating crowdsourced testing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If real-world testing is used to validate AD/ADAS functionality, then reliability of validation is improved, but time consumption and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalidation reliabilityVSAvoidtesting time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of real-world vehicles, environments, and traffic scenarios in a simulated test environment. These virtual replicas allow comprehensive testing of AD/ADAS functionality without deploying physical vehicles, thereby maintaining validation reliability while dramatically reducing time consumption and costs associated with real-world testing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary testing in virtual environments before real-world deployment. By pre-validating AD/ADAS functionality through extensive virtual scenario testing, the system identifies and resolves issues beforehand, reducing the need for prolonged real-world testing and accelerating the overall validation process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If real-world testing is used to expose corner case scenarios, then completeness of scenario coverage is improved, but resource requirements increase dramatically

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescenario coverageVSAvoidtesting resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The virtual test environment dynamically generates and adapts corner case scenarios based on predefined parameters and randomization algorithms. This dynamic scenario generation allows comprehensive coverage of rare and edge-case situations without requiring physical deployment of vehicles into diverse real-world conditions, thereby improving scenario coverage while conserving testing resources

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The simulated test environment serves multiple functions simultaneously: it can test various AD/ADAS functionalities, generate corner case scenarios, validate system responses, and store reusable test data all within a single virtual platform. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate real-world testing campaigns for different scenario types, reducing overall resource requirements while maintaining comprehensive coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If extensive real-world testing is conducted to validate safe behavior, then confidence in safety is improved, but cost and time expenditure become unfeasible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety confidenceVSAvoidtesting efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By creating virtual replicas of vehicles and test environments, the system enables extensive safety validation without the prohibitive costs and time requirements of real-world testing. The virtual copies can be deployed indefinitely and tested across numerous scenarios simultaneously, maintaining safety confidence while dramatically improving testing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system varies multiple parameters in the virtual environment (weather conditions, traffic patterns, vehicle speeds, scenario frequencies) to comprehensively test safety under diverse conditions. This parameter manipulation allows efficient exploration of safety boundaries and edge cases that would be impractical to test in the real world, thereby maintaining safety confidence while improving productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3745381B1Method and device for supporting generation of scenarios for testing autonomous driving and/or advanced driver assistance system functionality
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 ZENUITY AB
  • EP3745381B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3745381B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP3745381B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method and device for supporting generation of scenarios for testing autonomous driving and/or advanced driver assistance system, AD/ADAS, functionality for real world vehicles. A device (101; 500) provides (301) a virtual environment (200) simulating an environment relevant for operation of vehicles having said AD/ADAS functionality and in which is operating: fully computer controlled movable virtual objects (230a-c), human controlled movable virtual objects (220) and at least one virtual AD/ADAS vehicle (210) operating according to said AD/ADAS functionality. The device allows (303) a user of the device (101; 500) to, via user interface (506), control said one or more human controlled movable virtual objects (220) during operation and thereby cause generation of scenarios that the virtual AD/ADAS vehicle (210) is subjected to.