Method and system for modifying a control unit of an autonomous car

A system for modifying a control unit of an autonomous car, the system comprising a computer connected to the control unit and including instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

• while the control unit is in a first state, record sensor data from basic sensors of the autonomous car during an autonomous test action performed in autonomous driving mode of the autonomous car,
• in response to being triggered by a disengagement event, log disengagement related data comprising the sensor data recorded in an analysis time window before the disengagement event,
• generate a virtual scenario in a simulator apparatus for the analysis time window based on the disengagement related data, wherein the virtual scenario comprises a virtual counterpart of the autonomous car having virtual counterparts of the basic sensors, and perform a first virtual autonomous run according to the autonomous test action with the virtual counterpart of the autonomous car using the first state of the control unit in the simulator apparatus, so that a first virtual autonomous run leads to the disengagement event in the virtual scenario,
• identify, based on the virtual scenario, an inadequately operating component of the control unit, wherein the disengagement event has been caused by inadequate operation of the inadequately operating component of the control unit, and
• generate a second state of the control unit based on the first state of the control unit by modifying the inadequately operating component of the control unit, perform a second virtual autonomous run according to the autonomous test action with the virtual counterpart of the autonomous car using the second state of the control unit in the simulator apparatus, check whether the disengagement event is avoided in the second virtual autonomous run, and store the modified component of the control unit if the disengagement event is avoided in the second virtual autonomous run.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

• while the control unit is in a first state, record sensor data from basic sensors of the autonomous car during an autonomous test action performed in autonomous driving mode of the autonomous car,
• in response to being triggered by a disengagement event, log disengagement related data comprising the sensor data recorded in an analysis time window before the disengagement event,
• generate a virtual scenario in a simulator apparatus for the analysis time window based on the disengagement related data, wherein the virtual scenario comprises a virtual counterpart of the autonomous car having virtual counterparts of the basic sensors, and perform a first virtual autonomous run according to the autonomous test action with the virtual counterpart of the autonomous car using the first state of the control unit in the simulator apparatus, so that a first virtual autonomous run leads to the disengagement event in the virtual scenario,
• identify, based on the virtual scenario, an inadequately operating component of the control unit, wherein the disengagement event has been caused by inadequate operation of the inadequately operating component of the control unit, and
• generate a second state of the control unit based on the first state of the control unit by modifying the inadequately operating component of the control unit, perform a second virtual autonomous run according to the autonomous test action with the virtual counterpart of the autonomous car using the second state of the control unit in the simulator apparatus, check whether the disengagement event is avoided in the second virtual autonomous run, and store the modified component of the control unit if the disengagement event is avoided in the second virtual autonomous run.