Aurora Innovation: Pixar Veterans Enhance Self-Driving Simulation

Aurora Enhances Self-Driving System with Pixar Expertise

Aurora, the autonomous vehicle company preparing for its Nasdaq debut next week, is integrating the skills of experienced professionals from Pixar to refine its computer simulation tools. These tools are crucial for testing and training its self-driving technology.

Colrspace Joins Aurora’s Perception Team

A three-person computer graphics startup, Colrspace, operating discreetly until now, is being incorporated into Aurora’s perception team. This acquisition includes ownership of Colrspace’s intellectual property, particularly technology that merges CGI with machine learning techniques.

The Colrspace team – comprising Michael Fu, Allen Hemberger, and Alex Harvill – has pioneered a method for reconstructing three-dimensional objects and materials from single images. This advancement aims to increase the realism of simulations, a key factor in effective testing for autonomous vehicle developers.

Building on Existing Simulation Capabilities

Fu, Hemberger, and Harvill will collaborate with Aurora’s existing perception team. This team already includes experts from 7D, a simulation startup acquired by Aurora in 2019 and founded by former Pixar software engineer Magnus Wrenninge.

The Importance of Simulation in Autonomous Vehicle Development

While real-world testing on both closed courses and public roads is vital, computer simulations are considered an indispensable component for testing, training, and validating autonomous vehicle technology. Simulations allow for the evaluation of diverse scenarios and the replication of real-world events.

The ultimate goal is to rigorously train and assess the software stack to ensure safety before deployment in real-world driving conditions.

Scale and Scope of Aurora’s Simulation Program

Leading autonomous vehicle companies routinely execute thousands, and even millions, of simulations daily. Aurora estimates its simulator equates to over 50,000 trucks continuously in operation.

Aurora’s Virtual Testing Suite is designed to navigate a wide spectrum of driving conditions, including both typical and unusual, or “edge case,” scenarios. This proactive approach helps identify and rectify errors before vehicles are deployed on public roads. Data collected from real-world driving is also integrated back into the simulation environment.

Significant Growth in Simulated Miles

Aurora has significantly increased its investment in scaling its simulation program this year. The company projects reaching over 9 billion simulated miles by year-end, with 6 billion miles already completed in 2021.