autoware_map_loader package

This package provides the features of loading various maps.

pointcloud_map_loader

Feature

pointcloud_map_loader provides pointcloud maps to the other Autoware nodes in various configurations. Currently, it supports the following two types:

• Publish raw pointcloud map
• Publish downsampled pointcloud map
• Send partial pointcloud map loading via ROS 2 service
• Send differential pointcloud map loading via ROS 2 service

NOTE: We strongly recommend to use divided maps when using large pointcloud map to enable the latter two features (partial and differential load). Please go through the prerequisites section for more details, and follow the instruction for dividing the map and preparing the metadata.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites on pointcloud map file(s)

You may provide either a single .pcd file or multiple .pcd files. If you are using multiple PCD data, it MUST obey the following rules:

1. The pointcloud map should be projected on the same coordinate defined in map_projection_loader, in order to be consistent with the lanelet2 map and other packages that converts between local and geodetic coordinates. For more information, please refer to the readme of map_projection_loader.
2. It must be divided by straight lines parallel to the x-axis and y-axis. The system does not support division by diagonal lines or curved lines.
3. The division size along each axis should be equal.
4. The division size should be about 20m x 20m. Particularly, care should be taken as using too large division size (for example, more than 100m) may have adverse effects on dynamic map loading features in ndt_scan_matcher and autoware_compare_map_segmentation.
5. All the split maps should not overlap with each other.
6. Metadata file should also be provided. The metadata structure description is provided below.

Metadata structure

The metadata should look like this:

x_resolution: 20.0
y_resolution: 20.0
A.pcd: [1200, 2500] # -> 1200 < x < 1220, 2500 < y < 2520
B.pcd: [1220, 2500] # -> 1220 < x < 1240, 2500 < y < 2520
C.pcd: [1200, 2520] # -> 1200 < x < 1220, 2520 < y < 2540
D.pcd: [1240, 2520] # -> 1240 < x < 1260, 2520 < y < 2540

where,

• x_resolution and y_resolution
• A.pcd, B.pcd, etc, are the names of PCD files.
• List such as [1200, 2500] are the values indicate that for this PCD file, x coordinates are between 1200 and 1220 (x_resolution + x_coordinate) and y coordinates are between 2500 and 2520 (y_resolution + y_coordinate).

You may use pointcloud_divider for dividing pointcloud map as well as generating the compatible metadata.yaml.

Directory structure of these files

If you only have one pointcloud map, Autoware will assume the following directory structure by default.

sample-map-rosbag
├── lanelet2_map.osm
├── pointcloud_map.pcd

If you have multiple rosbags, an example directory structure would be as follows. Note that you need to have a metadata when you have multiple pointcloud map files.

sample-map-rosbag
├── lanelet2_map.osm
├── pointcloud_map.pcd
│ ├── A.pcd
│ ├── B.pcd
│ ├── C.pcd
│ └── ...
├── map_projector_info.yaml
└── pointcloud_map_metadata.yaml

Specific features

Publish raw pointcloud map (ROS 2 topic)

The node publishes the raw pointcloud map loaded from the .pcd file(s).

Publish downsampled pointcloud map (ROS 2 topic)

The node publishes the downsampled pointcloud map loaded from the .pcd file(s). You can specify the downsample resolution by changing the leaf_size parameter.

Publish metadata of pointcloud map (ROS 2 topic)

The node publishes the pointcloud metadata attached with an ID. Metadata is loaded from the .yaml file. Please see the description of PointCloudMapMetaData.msg for details.

Send partial pointcloud map (ROS 2 service)

Here, we assume that the pointcloud maps are divided into grids.

Given a query from a client node, the node sends a set of pointcloud maps that overlaps with the queried area. Please see the description of GetPartialPointCloudMap.srv for details.

Send differential pointcloud map (ROS 2 service)

Here, we assume that the pointcloud maps are divided into grids.

File truncated at 100 lines see the full file

Changelog for package autoware_map_loader

1.1.0 (2025-05-01)

• feat(component_interface_specs): use template type in get_qos function (#364) Co-authored-by: Yutaka Kondo <<yutaka.kondo@youtalk.jp>>
• feat(map_loader): add the explanation of handling use_waypoints (#342)
• Contributors: Takagi, Isamu, Takayuki Murooka

1.0.0 (2025-03-31)

• chore: update version in package.xml
• feat(autoware_map_loader): port autoware_map_loader from Autoware Universe to Core (#326) Co-authored-by: Yutaka Kondo <<yutaka.kondo@youtalk.jp>>
• Contributors: Ryohsuke Mitsudome