Schulz, Patrick (FZI Forschungszentrum Informatik), Bringmann, Oliver (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen)

Enhancing Automotive Simulations with Adjustable Asphalt Road Surface Materials

Scheduled for presentation during the Poster Session "Validation, simulation, and virtual testing II" (ThAT15), Thursday, September 26, 2024, 10:30−12:30, Foyer

2024 IEEE 27th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), September 24- 27, 2024, Edmonton, Canada

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on October 7, 2024

Abstract

Accurately representing road surfaces is crucial for automotive simulation and virtual sensor data generation because it directly impacts vehicle dynamics, sensor performance, and overall simulation realism. The precision of road surface models is critical for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of simulated driving scenarios, affecting various aspects such as tire-road interactions, vehicle handling, and the behavior of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. This paper presents a comprehensive material model that incorporates the complex properties of asphalt roads, including composition, binder content, aggregate gradation, age, and traffic load. By adjusting these parameters, our model dynamically generates shader materials that accurately replicate real-world asphalt surfaces' texture, color, and reflectance characteristics, which is essential for precise virtual sensor simulations.

Moreover, our material model goes beyond visual fidelity to influence vehicle dynamics in traffic simulations. By introducing an additional physical material layer affected by environmental conditions, our model accurately simulates the interaction between vehicles and road surfaces, enhancing the realism and accuracy of simulated driving scenarios. The model also integrates smoothly with OpenDRIVE road definitions, allowing modifications of surface geometry to reflect road damage, repairs, and irregularities.