Method for generating a digital map

A method for generating a digital map of a vehicle system, comprising the following steps:

• generating sensor data using vehicle sensors of a vehicle;
• receiving the sensor data at hardware secured according to specified security criteria;
• generating, by the secured hardware, a plurality of diverse data records from the sensor data, the diverse data records being intentionally constructed to represent different subsets or distributions of the sensor data so as to provide independent processing inputs;
• transmitting the diverse data records to a plurality of computers that are not secured according to the specified security criteria, each of the computers independently processing a respective one of the diverse data records to generate a corresponding processed data record;
• receiving, by the secured hardware, the processed data records from the plurality of computers;
• comparing the processed data records by performing a similarity assessment that evaluates consistency among the processed data records and identifies deviations exceeding a defined threshold;
• determining, based on results of the similarity assessment, a final processing result comprising a validated digital map;
• and
• outputting the validated digital map for operation of the vehicle.

A computing unit comprising:

• an input/output interface;
• and
• hardware secured according to specified security criteria, wherein the secured hardware is configured to:
• receive, via the interface, input data associated with operation of a vehicle subsystem;
• generate, by the secured hardware, a plurality of diverse data records from the input data, the diverse data records being intentionally constructed to represent different subsets or distributions of the input data so as to provide independent processing inputs;
• transmit, via the interface, the diverse data records to a plurality of computers that are not secured according to the specified security criteria, each of the computers independently processing a respective one of the diverse data records to generate a corresponding processed data record;
• receive, via the interface, the processed data records from the plurality of computers;
• carry out a comparison of the processed data records using a similarity assessment that evaluates consistency among the processed data records and identifies deviations exceeding a defined threshold;
• determine, based on results of the similarity assessment, a final processing result usable by the vehicle subsystem;
• and
• control the vehicle subsystem in operation of the vehicle using the final processing result.

A system comprising:

• a computing unit that includes:
• an input/output interface;
• and
• hardware secured according to specified security criteria, wherein the secured hardware is configured to:
• receive, via the interface, input data associated with operation of a vehicle subsystem;
• generate, by the secured hardware, a plurality of diverse data records from the input data, the diverse data records being intentionally constructed to represent different subsets or distributions of the input data so as to provide independent processing inputs;
• transmit, via the interface, the diverse data records to a plurality of computers that are not secured according to the specified security criteria, each of the computers independently processing a respective one of the diverse data records to generate a corresponding processed data record;
• receive, via the interface, the processed data records from the plurality of computers;
• carry out a comparison of the processed data records using a similarity assessment that evaluates consistency among the processed data records and identifies deviations exceeding a defined threshold;
• determine, based on results of the similarity assessment, a final processing result usable by the vehicle subsystem;
• and
• control the vehicle subsystem in operation of the vehicle using the final processing result;
• and
• a vehicle that includes a vehicle sensor, wherein the vehicle is configured to output sensor data from the vehicle sensor to the computing unit as the input data.