Carla Apollo Bridge

This python package provides a bridge for communicating between Carla's Python API and Apollo. Besides the source code, a Dockerfile and scripts are provided for getting setup quickly and easily. This package was tested with Carla version 0.9.13, and Apollo v7.0.0 and v8.0.0.

Installation

Pre-requisites

For the simplest setup, we will run Carla in Docker.

docker

https://docs.docker.com/install/linux/docker-ce/ubuntu/

NVIDIA Container Toolkit

https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/cloud-native/container-toolkit/install-guide.html

Setup / Getting Started

The following commands will be run with 3 containers:

• carla-server: this container will run the Carla simulator
• carla-apollo-13: bridge between apollo and carla-server containers, has cyber_py and carla python packages installed and unlike apollo container, can easily display gui applications on local machine
• apollo_dev_user: runs the apollo stack

End-to-end video tutorial of CARLA simulator with Apollo driving

End-to-end tutorial that goes through how to install, configure and use this Carla-Apollo-Bridge, with Carla simulator (v0.9.13) and Apollo driving software (v8.0.0):

https://youtu.be/2dQC3ToJGJU?si=6mZMHP1RRZHPRggX

Clone and build Apollo

Clone Apollo :

git clone https://github.com/ApolloAuto/apollo

Out of container open /apollo/cyber/setup.bash and change Cyber_ip to 172.17.0.1

export CYBER_IP=172.17.0.1

Add the following code lines to the file apollo/modules/planning/tasks/deciders/speed_bounds_decider/speed_limit_decider.cc after defining speed_limit_from_reference_line :

// (1) speed limit from map

double speed_limit_from_reference_line = reference_line_.GetSpeedLimitFromS(reference_line_s);

/************** added as a temproraly solution *********************/
/****** for speed_limit_from_reference_line = 0 in Carla Towns *****/

if (speed_limit_from_reference_line == 0) {

	speed_limit_from_reference_line = 11.176 ;
}

/*******************************************************************/
     

Important: Update controlling parameters for Carla Lincoln vehicle in Apollo:

• Replace the file control_conf.pb.txt in /apollo/modules/calibration/data/Lincoln2017MKZ_LGSVL by the file in carla_apollo_bridge/apollo_control

Now in the apollo container, build apollo...

# run in apollo_dev_user container:

./apollo.sh build_gpu

Add Carla Maps to Apollo. Note: currently the bridge publishes the traffic lights' groundtruth of Town01 only. The traffic lights of other maps will be added to their maps and the bridge soon.

Usage

Run Apollo container and enter it

cd apollo
./docker/scripts/dev_start.sh
./docker/scripts/dev_into.sh

Start Apollo Dreamview inside the container.

bash scripts/bootstrap.sh

In Dreamview setup the mode to Mkz Lgsvl , the vehicle to Lincoln2017MKZ LGSVL and the map to the needed Carla Town, then run the following modules: Localization, Routing, Planning, Prediction.

To monitor the planning and control process turn PNC Monitor on.

Run Carla docker container

# run on local machine:

docker run -it --privileged -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix:rw -v /usr/lib/nvidia:/usr/lib/nvidia --device /dev/dri --rm -e __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 -e __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY -e NVIDIA_VISIBLE_DEVICES=all -e NVIDIA_DRIVER_CAPABILITIES=all --gpus=all --name=carla-server --net=host -d carlasim/carla:0.9.13

Build docker image / run container for Carla-Apollo-13 bridge

# run on local machine, starting from the root of this repo:

cd docker
./build_docker.sh
./run_docker.sh


# enter Carla-apollo-13 container

docker exec -ti carla-apollo-13 bash

Change CYBER_IP in /apollo/cyber/setup.bash to the carla-apollo-13 container IP address

To find out the ip address to use, run this command outside of the container:

# get ip address of carla-apollo-13 container (default: 172.17.0.2):

docker inspect carla-apollo-13 | grep IPAddress


# in carla-apollo-13 container change the Cyber_ip:

gedit /apollo/cyber/setup.bash


# then source your ~/.bashrc file to apply the changes:
source ~/.bashrc

Create an ego vehicle and client

Choose one of Carla maps in Apollo dreamview , then change the map in UnrealEngine to it by:

python carla-python-0.9.13/util/config.py -m Town03 --host 172.17.0.1

Run these commands inside the carla-apollo-13 container

# run in carla-apollo-13 container, start Carla example scenario:

cd ~/carla_apollo_bridge_13

python examples/manual_control.py 

Before starting the bridge set the configurations in config/bridge_settings.yaml. To enable the control from apollo, turn on the control module in Apollo and in the settings file set apply_control to true , otherwise the ego vehicle in Carla will follow the planned trajectory without applying control.

# in config/bridge_settings.yaml: 

apply_control : true

To publish GroundTruth of obstacles:

# in config/bridge_settings.yaml: 

publish_obstacles_ground_truth: true

To publish LIDAR data , adjust LIDAR attributes in addLidar method in manual_control.py, then:

# in config/bridge_settings.yaml: 

publish_lidar_msg: true

Run the bridge:

# run in carla-apollo-13 container, start carla-apollo bridge:

cd ~/carla_apollo_bridge_13

python carla_cyber_bridge/run_bridge.py

Interfacing with the simulation

For interfacing with the simulator, a copy of the Carla PythonAPI is included in the carla-apollo-13 container. Some uses:

# run in another carla-apollo-13 container terminal:
cd ~/carla_apollo_bridge_13/

# change the map
python carla-python-0.9.13/util/config.py -m Town04 --host 172.17.0.1

# spawn traffic
python examples/generate_traffic.py --async