Real-time generation of functional road maps

A computerized apparatus having a processor, the processor being adapted to perform the steps of:

• obtaining a real-time visual input from a sensor mounted on a vehicle, wherein the real-time visual input captures a front view of a road ahead of the vehicle;
• processing the real-time input by a neural network to generate a functional top-down map of the road ahead of the vehicle, wherein each pixel in the functional top-down map is associated with a predetermined relative position to the vehicle, wherein a content of each pixel in the functional top-down map is assigned a set of values, each of which represents a functional feature relating to a location at a corresponding predetermined relative position to the pixel, wherein said processing is performed without relying on a pre-determined precise mapping;
• and
• providing the functional top-down map to an autonomous navigation system of the vehicle, whereby the autonomous navigation system autonomously drives the vehicle in accordance with functional features represented by the functional top-down map.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium retaining program instructions, which program instructions when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

• obtaining a real-time visual input from a sensor mounted on a vehicle, wherein the real-time visual input captures a front view of a road ahead of the vehicle;
• processing the real-time input by a neural network to generate a functional top-down map of the road ahead of the vehicle, wherein each pixel in the functional top-down map is associated with a predetermined relative position to the vehicle, wherein a content of each pixel in the functional top-down map is assigned a set of values, each of which represents a functional feature relating to a location at a corresponding predetermined relative position to the pixel, wherein said processing is performed without relying on a pre-determined precise mapping;
• and
• providing the functional top-down map to an autonomous navigation system of the vehicle, whereby the autonomous navigation system autonomously drives the vehicle in accordance with functional features represented by the functional top-down map.