Ideas for Improving the Autoware Diffusion Planner

[SakodaShintaro]

It's been a month since the initial pull request for autoware_diffusion_planner was merged, and we've recently followed up with a version update (autowarefoundation/autoware_universe#11093). We're excited to continue improving the Diffusion Planner in an open community.

This issue outlines our future plans and proposed improvements for the autoware_diffusion_planner. While we may not be able to implement everything, we want to share these ideas to foster discussion.

Multi-Batch Inference

Currently, inference is limited to a batch size of 1. We plan to add support for multi-batch inference. Multiple generated trajectories will be evaluated by a selector to choose the optimal one in the future. (See #6292)

2025/08/15 : Merged autowarefoundation/autoware_universe#11197

Effective Use of Ego Pose History

Currently, the trajectory is generated using only the information from the current frame. While we've recognized that incorporating Ego Pose History can lead to smoother speed control, we've encountered a challenge. The current implementation, when combined with the Trajectory Optimizer, prevents the vehicle from smoothly accelerating from a standstill. We believe this issue can be resolved by adjusting the Trajectory Optimizer, and we plan to introduce this feature once we find a suitable solution.

Drivable Area Integration

The Diffusion Planner currently relies primarily on VectorMap or Tracked Objects information. We aim to enhance its capabilities by integrating information about the drivable area. By using obstacle point clouds or occupancy grid map, we can improve the planner's ability to handle various situations. This may require implementing a way to accept rasterized image input.

Adding Semantic Information to VectorMap

The current model uses each Lanelet as a simple polyline. We intend to enrich the model's input with more semantic information from the VectorMap. This could include details such as:

• Stop lines
• Intersection areas
• Crosswalks
• Pedestrian traffic light
• Sidewalks

Turn Indicator Topic Output

The model currently generates a turn indicator, but it is not yet published as a dedicated topic. We plan to add this functionality.

2025/08/25 : autowarefoundation/autoware_universe#11264