OpenRoadSim is a proposed open-source simulation framework for integrated validation of automotive infotainment systems and signal-level domains. Built for accessibility and extensibility, OpenRoadSim enables developers to simulate and test complex, cross-domain vehicle interactions—including GPS, CAN bus, media playback, ADAS, and voice interaction—on standard laptops. Please refer the White Paper I wrote about this project : Academia.edu – OpenRoadSim
API Guide: https://karthagokul.github.io/openroadsim/
Plugin Development Guide : https://karthagokul.github.io/openroadsim/plugins/
you shall use Ubuntu 20.04 or later with python3 . Run the below commands
pip install -r requirements.txt
python main.py scenarios/example.yaml
you shall see logs like below
gokul@techysaint:~/Desktop/workspace/openroadsim$ python3 main.py scenarios/example.yaml
[22:55:08] [Main] [INFO] OpenRoadSim — Phase 1 Starting Up
[22:55:08] [Main] [INFO] Loading plugins from 'plugins'
[22:55:08] [EchoPlugin] [INFO] Initialized.
[22:55:08] [Main] [INFO] Loaded plugin 'EchoPlugin'
[22:55:08] [Main] [INFO] Starting scenario with 2 event(s).
[22:55:08] [EchoPlugin] [INFO] [0.000s] Echoed: Hello, OpenRoadSim!
[22:55:10] [EchoPlugin] [INFO] [2.000s] Echoed: Event-driven architecture works!
[22:55:10] [Main] [INFO] Scenario completed.
[22:55:10] [EchoPlugin] [INFO] Shutting down.
[22:55:10] [Main] [INFO] Simulation complete. Goodbye!
gokul@techysaint:~/Desktop/workspace/openroadsim$
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Modern vehicles rely heavily on software for features ranging from navigation to driver assistance. However, validating these systems often requires expensive, closed, and fragmented simulation platforms. OpenRoadSim addresses this challenge by providing:
- A modular, plugin-based architecture
- A graphical IDE called SimStudio
- A human-readable scenario scripting language
- LLM integration for AI-assisted scenario creation
- Optional support for real hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing
SimStudio is a built-in GUI tool for OpenRoadSim that helps you create, visualize, and inspect simulation scenarios with ease. Built using PyQt5, it provides a modular interface featuring a timeline view of events, a property inspector to edit individual actions, and a YAML editor to modify the raw scenario file. The interface includes menus for managing simulation runs, loading plugins, inspecting signals, injecting events, and connecting to hardware like USB-CAN or GPS devices. Tools like the CAN Viewer, Signal Inspector, Scenario Editor, and Metrics Viewer are being added progressively as part of the roadmap. The UI will continue to evolve over time with a focus on usability and developer productivity. Note: Under development , UI will be fully functional over next releases
- Timeline View — Visualize simulation events over time
- Scenario Inspector — View and edit event details in a side panel
- YAML Editor — Edit the raw scenario file with live preview
- Click-to-Inspect — Click on event markers to inspect & modify actions
- Load / Save / Reload scenarios with full file tracking
python simstudio/main.py
- Plugin System: Each subsystem (e.g., CAN, GPS, ADAS) runs as an independent plugin.
- AI Support: Natural language scenario generation using large language models.
- SimStudio IDE: Visual timeline editor, signal viewer, live log console.
- Scenario Scripting: YAML-based scenarios with timing, conditions, and loops.
- Hardware Integration: Supports USB-CAN, GPS dongles, Android IVI devices.
- Community Ready: Built for collaboration, customization, and open contribution.
- Core engine, scripting, and CLI interface
- SimStudio IDE and developer tools
- Reference plugins (CAN, GPS, media, voice)
- LLM integration and developer copilot
- HIL capabilities and remote simulation
- Plugin registry and scenario library
OpenRoadSim is in active proposal and planning phase. Contributors, researchers, and early testers are welcome.