Mapflix for Simulation. Netflix is great. You browse the…
By: Atlatec Gmbh
Tags: Autonomous Cars, Autonomous Vehicles, Hd Maps, Self Driving Cars, Automotive Industry

Netflix is great. You browse the catalog and pick the movies you like. It takes minutes only. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s cheap. Selecting a movie and start watching is a lot faster than producing one and, well, less expensive.

At atlatec, we offer real-world data for simulation just like netflix, too. We have a database of ready-to-use 3D maps that serve as content in virtual environments and are in use for ADAS and AV simulation around the globe. These 3D maps are augmented with real-world traffic and enable scenario-based virtual validation. You, too, can look around and pick what suits your specific needs, pay for the subscription and only as long as you need it. You start testing immediately.

The image below shows the real world and its digital clone side-by-side.

Using simulation to validate ADAS and AVs is commonplace today. The burden of testing every feature, every update and every setting in the real world is unbearable whereas validation and testing in virtual environments can be done overnight. Many excellent software suites have emerged over the last years and the list in the comments section below shows many of them.

Software alone, however, is not enough. Simulation becomes as random as the real world only when backed by real-world data such as 3D maps and scenarios. Waymo is a prime example of following this approach. Combining state-of-the-art simulation software with real-world content is key. A recent TrechCrunch article suggests to prioritize and invest in virtual testing.

Prioritize and invest in virtual testing. Developing and operating a robust system of virtual testing may present a high expense to AV companies, but it also presents the opportunity to dramatically shorten the pathway to commercial deployment through the ability to test more complex, higher risk and higher number scenarios.

Mountains of canned, real-world content reduce the price for an entry ticket into this ability to test more complex, higher risk and higher number scenarios.

We offer a database of 3D maps from North America, Europe and Japan and offer it as a subscription. These 3D maps capture the real world and make it available for use in your existing simulation ecosystem. In addition to the 3D maps we add an additional layer containing moving objects. Maps and moving objects form scenarios of short length (seconds to minutes) that stress-test your ADAS or AV stack. Scenarios can be modified with our software to form edge- and corner cases. The best part is: The database grows continuously providing more and more cases over time. And, you pay only for what you need.

The world-to-simulator transform is shown in the images below.

We launch our database subscription with pilot customers now and we need your help. Just like netflix, too, we need to understand what you would like to have (is it Lord of the Rings, Frozen or Sharknado?). If you would like to talk to one of our experts then please contact us via email or schedule a meeting with one of our mapping experts.

This blog article was written by atlatec founder and CEO Dr. Henning Lategahn. Feel free to reach out to Henning via LinkedIn.