Simulator Messages#

This page details the messages available by default in the simulator. Each bridge type (ROS, ROS2, CyberRT) will have its own message types.

Table of Contents

ROS Message Types top#

The simulator supports many of the common standard ROS messages. Additionally, the simulator supports custom ROS messages defined for Autoware AI as well as the simulator's template messages for Autonomous Driving which are included in lgsvl_msgs.

Below is a list of these messages.

Message Type Namespace Associated Sensor Default Topic Name Notes
std_msgs/Header Ros - - Standard header used for ROS messages
std_msgs/Time Ros - - Usually used for timestamps in std_msgs/Header
rosgraph_msg/Clock Ros Clock Sensor /clock Required when /use_sim_time param is set to true
std_msgs/ColorRGBA Ros - - -
sensor_msgs/CompressedImage Ros Camera Sensor - JPEG encoded images - usually subscribed to by AD stacks for camera images
sensor_msgs/Image Ros Camera Sensor - Uncompressed images - usually subscribed to by AD stacks for camera images
sensor_msgs/Imu Ros Imu Sensor - Linear acceleration, angular velocity, and (optional) orientation as a quaternion
sensor_msgs/Joy Ros - - Reports the state of a joystick / wheel axes and buttons
sensor_msgs/LaserScan Ros - - Single beam LiDAR points reported as an array of range measurements
sensor_msgs/PointCloud2 Ros LiDAR Sensor - Point cloud data as typically output from a 3D LiDAR's driver
sensor_msgs/PointField Ros - - Included in sensor_msgs/PointCloud2 to provide type information on the point
sensor_msgs/NavSatStatus Ros GPS Sensor - Status report for GNSS
sensor_msgs/NavSatFix Ros GPS Sensor - GNSS position fix reported llh format
nav_msgs/Odometry Ros GPS Odometry Sensor - An odometry message containing a pose and a twist message
nmea_msgs/Sentence Ros GPS Sensor - GNSS fix represented as an NMEA sentence - used in Autoware AI
geometry_msgs/Point Ros - - XYZ coordinates
geometry_msgs/Pose Ros - - 3D position and orientation (quaternion)
geometry_msgs/PoseWithCovariance Ros - - geometry_msgs/Pose with an additional covariance field
geometry_msgs/Quaternion Ros - - -
geometry_msgs/Twist Ros - - Linear and angular velocity
geometry_msgs/TwistStamped Ros - lgsvl_msgs/DetectedRadarObject- Contains s geometry_msgs/Twist and a std_msgs/Header
geometry_msgs/TwistWithCovariance Ros - - Contains a geometry_msgs/Twist with an additional covariance field
geometry_msgs/Vector3 Ros - - 3D vector with x, y, z coordinates
std_srvs/Empty Ros - - Empty service
std_srvs/SetBool Ros - - Service for setting a boolean parameter
std_srvs/Trigger Ros - - Service for triggering an event
autoware_msgs/steer_cmd Autoware - - Steer command message
autoware_msgs/accel_cmd Autoware - - Acceleration command message
autoware_msgs/brake_cmd Autoware - - Brake command message
autoware_msgs/lamp_cmd Autoware - - Message for controlling lights on vehicle
autoware_msgs/ControlCommand Autoware - - Vehicle control command providing linear velocity, linear acceleration, and a steering angle
autoware_msgs/VehicleCmd Autoware AutowareAI Control Sensor /vehicle_cmd Complete vehicle control command containing the other 'command' message - simulator subscribes to this
autoware_msgs/DetectedObject Autoware - - Attributes of objects detected by perception
autoware_msgs/DetectedObjectArray Autoware - - Array of autoware_msgs/DetectedObject
lgsvl_msgs/BoundingBox2D Lgsvl - - 2D ground truth bounding box for objects in view of the vehicle
lgsvl_msgs/BoundingBox3D Lgsvl - - 3D ground truth bounding box for objects in view of the vehicle
lgsvl_msgs/Detection2D Lgsvl - - Ground truth detection data for obstacles in 2D
lgsvl_msgs/Detection2DArray Lgsvl Ground Truth 2D Sensor - Array of ground truth values for 2D detections
lgsvl_msgs/Detection3D Lgsvl - - Ground truth detection data for obstacles in 3D
lgsvl_msgs/Detection3DArray Lgsvl Ground Truth 3D Sensor - Array of ground truth values for 3D detections
lgsvl_msgs/Signal Lgsvl - - Ground truth traffic light information
lgsvl_msgs/SignalArray Lgsvl Signal Sensor - Array of lgsvl_msgs/Signal for all traffic lights in view of ego
lgsvl_msgs/CanBusData Lgsvl CanBus Sensor - Collection of information available through CAN bus and published by simulator
lgsvl_msgs/VehicleControlData Lgsvl Vehicle Control Sensor - Vehicle control command simulator can subscribe to
lgsvl_msgs/VehicleStateData Lgsvl Vehicle State Sensor - Feedback from vehicle control command published by simulator which can be used for implementing a feedback controller
lgsvl_msgs/VehicleOdometry Lgsvl Vehicle Odometry Sensor - Velocity and front and rear wheel angle measurements
lgsvl_msgs/DetectedRadarObject Lgsvl - - Representation of an obstacle detected by radar
lgsvl_msgs/DetectedRadarObjectArray Lgsvl Radar Sensor - Array of lgsvl_msgs/DetectedRadarObject published by the simulator
lgsvl_srvs/Int Lgsvl - - Service that sends an integer value
lgsvl_srvs/String Lgsvl - - Service that sends a string

ROS 2 Message Types top#

There is a lot of overlap between the message types supported for ROS and ROS 2 with the main difference being Autoware AI.

Message Type Namespace Associated Sensor Default Topic Name Notes
std_msgs/Header Ros2 - - Standard header used for ROS 2 messages
builtin_interfaces/Time Ros2 - - Usually used for timestamps in std_msgs/Header
rosgraph_msg/Clock Ros2 Clock Sensor /clock Required when /use_sim_time param is set to true
std_msgs/ColorRGBA Ros2 - - -
sensor_msgs/CompressedImage Ros2 Camera Sensor - JPEG encoded images - usually subscribed to by AD stacks for camera images
sensor_msgs/Image Ros2 Camera Sensor - Uncompressed images - usually subscribed to by AD stacks for camera images
sensor_msgs/Imu Ros2 Imu Sensor - Linear acceleration, angular velocity, and (optional) orientation as a quaternion
nav_msgs/Odometry Ros2 GPS Odometry Sensor - An odometry message containing a pose and a twist message
sensor_msgs/LaserScan Ros2 - - Single beam LiDAR points reported as an array of range measurements
sensor_msgs/PointCloud2 Ros2 LiDAR Sensor - Point cloud data as typically output from a 3D LiDAR's driver
sensor_msgs/PointField Ros2 - - Included in sensor_msgs/PointCloud2 to provide type information on the point
sensor_msgs/NavSatStatus Ros2 GPS Sensor - Status report for GNSS
sensor_msgs/NavSatFix Ros2 GPS Sensor - GNSS position fix reported llh format
nmea_msgs/Sentence Ros2 GPS Sensor - GNSS fix represented as an NMEA sentence
geometry_msgs/Point Ros2 - - XYZ coordinates
geometry_msgs/Pose Ros2 - - 3D position and orientation (quaternion)
geometry_msgs/PoseWithCovariance Ros2 - - geometry_msgs/Pose with an additional covariance field
geometry_msgs/Quaternion Ros2 - - -
geometry_msgs/Twist Ros2 - - Linear and angular velocity
geometry_msgs/TwistStamped Ros2 - lgsvl_msgs/DetectedRadarObject- Contains s geometry_msgs/Twist and a std_msgs/Header
geometry_msgs/TwistWithCovariance Ros2 - - Contains a geometry_msgs/Twist with an additional covariance field
geometry_msgs/Vector3 Ros2 - - 3D vector with x, y, z coordinates
lgsvl_msgs/BoundingBox2D Lgsvl - - 2D ground truth bounding box for objects in view of the vehicle
lgsvl_msgs/BoundingBox3D Lgsvl - - 3D ground truth bounding box for objects in view of the vehicle
lgsvl_msgs/Detection2D Lgsvl - - Ground truth detection data for obstacles in 2D
lgsvl_msgs/Detection2DArray Lgsvl Ground Truth 2D Sensor - Array of ground truth values for 2D detections
lgsvl_msgs/Detection3D Lgsvl - - Ground truth detection data for obstacles in 3D
lgsvl_msgs/Detection3DArray Lgsvl Ground Truth 3D Sensor - Array of ground truth values for 3D detections
lgsvl_msgs/Signal Lgsvl - - Ground truth traffic light information
lgsvl_msgs/SignalArray Lgsvl Signal Sensor - Array of lgsvl_msgs/Signal for all traffic lights in view of ego
lgsvl_msgs/CanBusData Lgsvl CanBus Sensor - Collection of information available through CAN bus and published by simulator
lgsvl_msgs/VehicleControlData Lgsvl Vehicle Control Sensor - Vehicle control command simulator can subscribe to
lgsvl_msgs/VehicleStateData Lgsvl Vehicle State Sensor - Feedback from vehicle control command published by simulator which can be used for implementing a feedback controller
lgsvl_msgs/VehicleOdometry Lgsvl Vehicle Odometry Sensor - Velocity and front and rear wheel angle measurements
lgsvl_msgs/DetectedRadarObject Lgsvl - - Representation of an obstacle detected by radar
lgsvl_msgs/DetectedRadarObjectArray Lgsvl Radar Sensor - Array of lgsvl_msgs/DetectedRadarObject published by the simulator

CyberRT Message Types top#

Latest versions of Apollo (>=3.5) use a middleware called CyberRT. The SVL Simulator provides a bridge for communication with Apollo using CyberRT messages. The supported messages are listed below:

Message Type Namespace Associated Sensor Default Channel Name Notes
apollo.canbus.Chassis Cyber CanBus Sensor /apollo/canbus/chassis CAN bus message published by the simulator
apollo.control.ControlCommand Cyber CanBus Sensor /apollo/control Vehicle control message the simulator subscribes to
apollo.localization.Gps Cyber GPS Odometry Sensor /apollo/sensor/gnss/odometry Vehicle world coordinates in UTM as well as orientation and velocity
apollo.drivers.gnss.GnssBestPose Cyber GPS Sensor /apollo/sensor/gnss/best_pose World coordinates in LLH
apollo.drivers.gnss.Imu Cyber IMU Sensor /apollo/sensor/gnss/imu Raw IMU sensor measurements
apollo.drivers.gnss.CorrectedImu Cyber IMU Sensor /apollo/sensor/gnss/corrected_imu Corrected IMU measurements along with orientation
apollo.drivers.gnss.InsStat Cyber GPS-INS Status /apollo/sensor/gnss/ins_stat INS Status
apollo.drivers.ContiRadar Cyber Radar Sensor /apollo/sensor/conti_radar Continental radar messages
apollo.drivers.PointCloud Cyber LiDAR Sensor /apollo/sensor/lidar128/compensator/PointCloud2 Compensated LiDAR pointcloud message
apollo.drivers.Image Cyber Camera Sensor /apollo/sensor/camera/front_12mm/image images from RGB camera
apollo.drivers.CompressedImage Cyber Camera Sensor /apollo/sensor/camera/front_12mm/image/compressed Compressed (jpg encoded) images from RGB camera
apollo.perception.PerceptionObstacles Cyber Ground Truth 3D Sensor /apollo/perception/obstacles List of detected obstacles used in modular testing to replace the perception module
apollo.perception.TrafficLightDetection Cyber Signal Sensor /apollo/perception/traffic_light List of detected traffic lights and their status used in modular testing to replace the perception module