New step for autonomous vehicle tests in Catalonia: HD maps of public roads now available

330 kilometers of Catalan public roads have been scanned with the aim to collect data required for the creation of high-definition maps (HD maps) to be used by autonomous vehicles. This project, carried out by atlatec GmbH, a partner of the Catalan company Applus+ IDIADA is framed within the scope of the Catalonia Living Lab, an initiative promoted by Catalonia Trade & Investment.

Scanned routes include highways, interurban roads, rural roads and city streets. They were selected for their above average probability of encountering challenging situations for connected and automated vehicles.

With this data, HD maps have been created which are available today for companies or research institutes that need these maps to test their highly automated prototypes on public roads in Catalonia.

The Catalonia Living Lab was initiated in 2016 by the Catalan Government, the industry and sector agents, as a unique testing environment in Europe in the field of autonomous and connected vehicles. It allows vehicle and parts manufacturers from all over the world to perform tests and validations in this technology on roads, circuits and in cities throughout Catalonia.

Catalonia Living Lab foresees that companies from Catalonia and from all around the world, both end manufacturers or of automotive components, can carry out trials to develop, test and validate autonomous and connected vehicle technology within the framework of a regulatory environment that makes it possible with the appropriate safety guarantees.