Common Data Standards a must for Self-driving Vehicles

Britain’s National Mapping Agency Ordnance Survey (OS) and self-driving vehicle testing hub Zenzic have issued a report laying out the importance of collaborative mapping in the development of self-driving vehicles.

The ‘Geodata report – analysis and recommendations for self-driving vehicle testing’ calls out for universal data standards that promote collaboration and improve confidence in self-driving vehicles that can “see round corners”.

Maps for self-driving vehicles are more detailed than those for satellite navigation systems. Often referred to as high-definition (HD) maps, they must be accurate to within 5cm resolution and contain a minimum set of information (lane-level, geometry, information about street furniture).

Too many data formats

During the study, more than 20 different data formats, currently being used, were investigated. Each has specific features and benefits but assurance of interoperability is patchy. The report recommends adoption of a maximum of just four key formats.

It also found inconsistencies in terminology across the industry and recommends commonality across the entire connected and self-driving sectors. This could be fed into the BSI standards programme, for example, to ensure it’s documented, maintained and widely adopted.

Simon Navin, Ordnance Survey’s Head of Innovation Programmes, said: “The economic and societal benefits that can be achieved through the introduction of self-driving vehicles on U.K. roads should be significant. Through our work with Zenzic we are helping define the geospatial and mapping requirements that will accelerate the testing and adoption of self-driving technologies so that these benefits can be realised safely and efficiently.

In the ideal future, the minimum geospatial requirements will be clearly defined, consistently referenced (using common terminology) and readily accessible to organisations involved in vehicle testing.

Read the full report here at https://zenzic.io/insights/report/geodata-report