Autonomous vehicle hybrid simulation testing

A computing system for autonomous vehicle testing, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media, that collectively store instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
• obtaining simulated perception data indicative of one or more simulated states of at least one simulated object within a surrounding environment of an autonomous vehicle, wherein the computing system comprises a perception system and a prediction system, and wherein the simulated perception data is obtained via the prediction system and the perception system is disabled, wherein when the perception system is disabled the computing system is prevented from perceiving the surrounding environment based on sensor data;
• determining one or more predicted future locations of the at least one simulated object within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the simulated perception data;
• determining a motion plan for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the one or more predicted future locations of the at least one simulated object within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle;
• and
• causing the autonomous vehicle to travel in accordance with the motion plan through the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• providing, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices to an autonomous vehicle, simulated perception data indicative of a first simulated state of a simulated object within a surrounding environment of an autonomous vehicle,
• wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a perception system and a prediction system, and wherein the simulated perception data is obtained via the prediction system and the perception system is disabled, wherein when the perception system is disabled the computing system is prevented from perceiving the surrounding environment based on sensor data;
• obtaining, by the computing system, vehicle data from the autonomous vehicle indicative of an action to be performed by the autonomous vehicle;
• and
• determining, by the computing system based on the vehicle data, a second simulated state of the simulated object.