Simulated depth sensor spread

A system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
• obtaining a plurality of samples associated with a two-dimensional projection of a simulated three-dimensional environment in a vicinity of an autonomous vehicle corresponding to a frame of reference of a lidar sensor, wherein at least one of the plurality of samples comprises:
• depth data indicative of a distance between an object in the simulated three-dimensional environment and a simulated location of the lidar sensor associated with the autonomous vehicle;
• and
• reflectivity data indicative of a reflectivity of the object;
• identifying a subset of the plurality of samples that fall within an area of the two-dimensional projection corresponding to a three-dimensional subregion of the simulated three-dimensional environment defined by a beam of the lidar sensor;
• identifying a first sample in the subset based on a first weight assigned to the first sample and a second sample, different from the first sample, in the subset based on a second weight assigned to the second sample, wherein the first weight and the second weight are based at least in part on respective depth and reflectivity data;
• and
• simulating a return of the lidar sensor in simulation based at least in part on the first and second weights.