Modelling, Simulation and Testing of automotive perception sensors

The Sim4CAMSens 1 project reached its conclusion in June 2025 and this report attempts to summarise the huge and diverse amount of work completed by the partners through the life of the project.  The complete report can be downloaded: Sim4CAMSens Final Report – web

The Sim4CAMSens was a CCAV funded collaborative R&D project that developed methods to quantify and simulate camera, radar and LiDAR sensor performance under all conditions.  The project ran from 2023 to 2025 and carried out an extensive test program to collect data on the performance of camera, radar and LiDAR sensors under a wide range of conditions including lab-based testing, field work and on automotive proving ground tests. The tests were designed to explore and identify the noise factors that affect sensor performance to enable the development of more sophisticated sensor models.

Simulation is important for robust ADAS and AV perception system development and assurance. An engineering requirements decomposition methodology was developed by Syselek in Sim4CAMSens to define the fidelity of simulation needed, i.e., the minimum accuracy in replicating real-world conditions. Throughout the project multiple test campaigns were executed by Claytex, NPL, WMG and CSA Catapult. The overall goals of these campaigns was to collect data on different noise factors that affect perception sensor performance and to collect data to enable the validation of the models being developed.

Claytex and rFpro worked on the development of camera, LiDAR and radar sensor models in addition to enhancements to the core simulation environment used in this project which was rFpro. This work resulted in the launch of a new product called rFpro AV elevate which incorporates the developments from this project. Oxford RF used the project to accelerate the development of their first production radar sensors which were launched at the conclusion of the project in 2025. Within this work package Claytex and Oxford RF collaborated to develop and validate a model of the new radar sensors. This work included verifying that the simulation data from the model worked with the signal processing code developed by Oxford RF in addition to the version developed by Claytex as part of the radar model.

AESIN took the lead on dissemination and outreach activities with support from all of the project partners. The project was presented at 12 international conferences during the 2 year life of the project. In addition several workshops and advisory board meetings were held with external organisations to provide input to shape the project. 2 reports on the Roadmaps and Standards Landscape and a Recommendations Report on UK perception sensors were published by AESIN.

The project consortium has recently received additional funding to continue and extend this work through the CAM Pathfinder programme with Queen Mary University London replacing WMG as the academic partner.  Updates on the project progress will continue to be published at the sim4camsens.org website.

A number of other reports have been published at the conclusion of the project:

• Report on noise factor analysis
• LiDAR test methodology report
• Guidelines for creation of Simulation Handbook
• Roadmaps and Standards Landscape of Perception Sensors and Simulation
• Recommendations report on UK perception sensors