A method of utilizing a LIDAR digital map to improve automatic driving, the method comprises the steps of:
- (A) providing at least one passenger vehicle, an automated driving system, and at least one roadside device, wherein the passenger vehicle and the automated driving system are communicably coupled to each other, and wherein the passenger vehicle comprises a passenger LIDAR system and a passenger camera device, and wherein a LIDAR digital map is stored on the automated driving system, and wherein the LIDAR digital map includes a plurality of LIDAR profiles and a plurality of geospatial points, and wherein each LIDAR profile is associated to a corresponding point from the plurality of geospatial points;
- (B) continuously capturing road-condition data with the passenger LIDAR system and the passenger camera device;
- (C) comparing the road-condition data to each LIDAR profile with the automated driving system in order to identify a matching profile from the plurality of LIDAR profiles;
- (D) pinging the roadside device, after at least one non-line-of-sight condition is detected in the road-condition data and/or the corresponding point of the matching profile with the automated driving system;
- (E) retrieving hidden target data from the roadside device to the automated driving system, after the roadside device is pinged in step (D);
- (F) compiling a set of driving instructions in accordance to the hidden target data with the automated driving system;
- (G) executing the set of driving instructions with the passenger vehicle through the automated driving system;
- (H) providing at least one test vehicle, wherein the test vehicle and the automated driving system are communicably coupled to each other, and wherein the test vehicle comprises a test LIDAR system, and wherein a plurality of LIDAR classifications is stored on the automated driving system;
- (I) capturing the plurality of LIDAR profiles along a specific road with the test LIDAR system by travelling the specific road with the test vehicle, wherein the specific road is mapped in the plurality of geospatial points;
- (J) assigning each LIDAR profile to a corresponding classification with the automated driving system, wherein the corresponding classification is from the plurality of LIDAR classifications;
- (K) executing a plurality of iterations for steps (I) and (J) for a plurality of mapped roads, wherein the specific road in each iteration for steps (I) and (J) is a different road from the plurality of mapped roads;
- (L) compiling each LIDAR profile with the corresponding classification at the corresponding point for each mappable road into the LIDAR digital map of the plurality of mapped roads with the automated driving system;
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- (M) implementing the LIDAR digital map with the automated driving system.