Unable to initialize NDT localizer in AVP demo

edit

Hi Marcus here again. I answered you on Autoware forum...I also failed to execute the AVP demo this time. I am very confident that the reason is:

1 - The AVP demo just works with the LGSVL internal simulator (on ade): https://autowarefoundation.gitlab.io/...

I am also trying to execute with newer SVL releases outside docker image and running the lgsvl bridge...but does not work because from the autoware_demos avp_sim.launch.py file, if you open it you will check in the function below that the file param/avp/vehicle_characteristics_sim.param.yaml is called:

def generate_launch_description():
    """
    Launch all nodes defined in the architecture for Milestone 3 of the AVP 2020 Demo.

    More details about what is included can
    be found at https://gitlab.com/autowarefoundation/autoware.auto/AutowareAuto/-/milestones/25.
    """
    avp_demo_pkg_prefix = get_package_share_directory('autoware_demos')
    autoware_launch_pkg_prefix = get_package_share_directory('autoware_auto_launch')

    lgsvl_param_file = os.path.join(
        autoware_launch_pkg_prefix, 'param/lgsvl_interface.param.yaml')

    map_publisher_param_file = os.path.join(
        avp_demo_pkg_prefix, 'param/avp/map_publisher_sim.param.yaml')
    ndt_localizer_param_file = os.path.join(
        avp_demo_pkg_prefix, 'param/avp/ndt_localizer_sim.param.yaml')
    mpc_param_file = os.path.join(
        avp_demo_pkg_prefix, 'param/avp/mpc_sim.param.yaml')
    pc_filter_transform_param_file = os.path.join(
        avp_demo_pkg_prefix, 'param/avp/pc_filter_transform.param.yaml')
    vehicle_characteristics_param_file = os.path.join(
        avp_demo_pkg_prefix, 'param/avp/vehicle_characteristics_sim.param.yaml')

    urdf_pkg_prefix = get_package_share_directory('lexus_rx_450h_description')
    urdf_path = os.path.join(urdf_pkg_prefix, 'urdf/lexus_rx_450h.urdf')
    with open(urdf_path, 'r') as infp:
        urdf_file = infp.read()

HOWEVER you can search for this file inside the autoware_demos/avp/param folder and you won't find it! I also did not find this file inside the Autoware repository. Therefore when I opened rviz2 (following the tutorial) I had the errors you had ( Lookup Transform error, urdf icon was red, etc....the map does not appear colorful...). Well I used this software months ago and I remember it just works fine for the "on ade internal docker simulator". I fixed somethings to make it work externally, but for 2020.06 version and I forgot which topics I needed to change on JSON vehicle configuration file...

An UPDATE

I have already tried again, you are right LGSVL does not allow the use of the old simulator version inside docker... So going ahead to step 2: I have runned the ndt localizer successful (but accidentaly). The steps are. You must use 4 terminals. And you must run in the following order to make it work

1- Terminal ONE: run the lgsv-bridge in a terminal

2 - Run this command (it will help mitigate the TF error, urdf error:

ros2 run tf2_ros static_tranform_publisher 1 0 0 0 0 0 map base_link

3 - Run the other launch file "autoware_demos avp_sim.launch"

4 - Run the launch file called "autoware_auto_launch visualization.py..." something like that

(I know the tutorial tell to run in other way but does not work)

Ok If you have lucky and/or a powerful computer the Transform will work fine as well as the localization (ndt localizer). My issue is that after do this I couldn't run the planner. The car didn't get the path planner output to send to the control commands ... (more)