Our vision

„The critical path to introduce autonomous vehicles to the market is not in the technology, but in developing a metric that enables an approval!“

(Prof. Dr. Winner: 6. FAS-Tagung München, November 29th 2013)

At the AVL Mobility and Sensor Center Roding, we meet this challenge and realize:

  • Sensor validation in reproducible weather situations
  • High-precision calibration of reference systems
  • Collection of ground truth reference data on behalf of customers
  • The development of innovative mobility concepts for rural areas

Sensor Test Center

In the Roding sensor test center, we are creating a test environment with our cooperation partners from industry and science which is to date unique. In addition to sensory systems, the perception algorithms of commercial manufacturers are also independently tested here.

As the first industrial homologation center for AD systems in Bavaria, we are making a decisive contribution to the certification of future automated vehicles. Thus, we create a basis for new test methods and standards and secure technological progress as well as qualified jobs in the region.

Sensor validation in reproducible weather situations

Indoor AD test hall with pilot character

The Roding sensor test center is one of the first indoor test halls in Germany. With this test center, we meet the industry’s need for independently conducted sensor tests for automated vehicles. The tests consider different weather and traffic conditions. For homologation, these also cover the existing requirements for repeatability, traceability, and documentation.

AD system test under reproducible weather conditions

The “System under Test” (SUT) is subjected to a complete AD system test and tested with the following parameters:

  • critical weather conditions such as fog, rain, and back light
  • various traffic situations such as spray
  • reference vehicle (ego vehicle)

Reliable ADAS / AD Validation Toolchain

After completion of the tests, the collected data from the different sources and measurements are summarized, processed in the data center and evaluated in an automated and real-time toolchain. In addition, real driving tests at higher speeds can be carried out on an outdoor test track using a mobile rain system.

The combination of virtual and real driving tests enables resilient, reproducible and efficiently implementable tests for autonomous driving vehicles – and for our customers reliable results for their further design and homologation process in the new autonomous era.

As one of the world’s leading providers of simulation and test systems for the automotive industry, AVL sets methodological standards to meet the challenges of validating autonomous driving vehicles. We develop our innovative test solutions in the Sensor Test Center Roding in cooperation with leading universities, research institutes as well as our customers.

  • The driving behaviour of a vehicle with ADAS is tested in light rain
  • A sprinkler generates artificial rain for testing sensors in adverse weather situations
  • An autonomous vehicle drives on an artificially wet road
  • An autonomous vehicle stops in artificial fog between stop signs
  • Dense fog is generated in the sensor test hall
  • A vehicle with ADAS waits for artificial adverse weather in the sensor test hall

Sensor Calibration

Precise sensor perception

To achieve accurate measurement results, perfectly matched coordinate systems of the sensor systems to be compared are a decisive factor. Even minimal deviations lead to significant perception errors and falsify the ground truth.

High-precision calibration in 3 steps

The sensor calibration system enables efficient and accurate calibration of the sensor systems to be compared by combining:

  • Intrinsic camera calibration: correction of the geometric distortion of all cameras
  • Extrinsic sensor calibration: Alignment of the coordinate systems of the reference sensors to each other
  • Extrinsic DGT-HW to test vehicle calibration: Alignment of the coordinate system of the reference system to the vehicle coordinate system

AVL Dynamic Ground Truth System

Accurate reflection of reality – ground truth

The objective comparison of sensor signals with an absolute environmental reference (ground truth data) shows how accurately a sensor system captures its environment – and at the same time enables cost-effective development and validation of sensor technology at all levels of the development process. Certification authorities also need to be able to independently evaluate sensor systems for road approval of future autonomous driving vehicles. A high-precision sensor reference system is the basic prerequisite for this.

The future standard

The AVL Dynamic Ground Truth System (DGT) captures an exact 360° field of view of the vehicle environment for statistical comparison and validation of the ADAS/AD system under test (SUT). The captured image is composed of time-synchronized lidar, camera, and high-accuracy GNSS data to enable precise comparison of the DGT and SUT systems.

Using our powerful Perception software, the independent reference image of the vehicle environment is generated based on the recorded raw data. The result is an OSI data stream containing information about recorded objects such as cars, pedestrians, motorcycles, and traffic signs. These are used for analysis and validation against the SUT – taking us one step further towards Data Driven Development.

More informationen at:

https://www.avl.com/-/dynamic-ground-truth

https://www.avl.com/-/ground-truth-measurement-for-data-driven-development

Milestones