Introduction to Apollo Project
Apollo is an innovative open-source platform designed to accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of autonomous vehicles. It offers a high-performance and flexible architecture that supports developers and businesses aiming to delve into the autonomous driving space. With its roots in the robust technology foundation, Apollo continuously evolves to introduce new modules and features, demanding precise calibration and configuration for optimal performance.
Prerequisites for Getting Started
To effectively engage with Apollo, certain prerequisites are essential:
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Hardware Requirements: A vehicle equipped with by-wire systems such as brake-by-wire and steering-by-wire is necessary. Typically tested on Lincoln MKZ, Apollo runs best on setups involving an 8-core processor, 16GB RAM, and an NVIDIA Turing GPU or AMD equivalent.
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Software Requirements: Running on Ubuntu 18.04, it requires an NVIDIA driver version of 455.32.00 or higher, or AMD's ROCm v5.1. It also necessitates Docker-CE for container operations and the NVIDIA Container Toolkit.
The platform's installation process is meticulous, needing careful attention to ensure hardware compatibility and software component functionality.
Evolution of Apollo Versions
Apollo has marked its progression through a series of versions, each enhancing capabilities across various aspects:
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Apollo 1.0 focused on automatic GPS waypoint following in controlled environments, ensuring compatibility with vehicle systems.
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Apollo 1.5 introduced LiDAR for improved environment perception, assisting vehicles in lane cruising.
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Apollo 2.0 enabled autonomous driving on simple urban roads, allowing for obstacle avoidance and traffic light recognition.
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Apollo 2.5 supported geo-fenced highway driving with camera-aided obstacle detection.
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Apollo 3.0 and 3.5 expanded capabilities to handle low-speed environments and complex driving scenarios, emphasizing 360-degree visibility and advanced algorithmic support.
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Apollo 5.0 and subsequent versions improved urban road performance, introducing new planning scenarios and prediction models for more secure navigation.
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Apollo 6.0 to 8.0 incorporated deep learning models, enhancing perception and development tools, while supporting the complete development cycle for autonomous driving.
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Apollo 9.0 offered a unified development tool platform with advanced visualization, plugin extension, and improved detection models, also supporting ARM architecture for wider device compatibility.
Architecture
Apollo's architecture is divided into hardware and software components, each tailored to meet specific needs of autonomous driving:
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Hardware Overview: Emphasizes the integration of comprehensive vehicle systems capable of supporting the stringent demands of autonomous operations.
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Software Framework: Incorporates advanced algorithms and processes designed to tackle the complexities of real-world driving conditions.
Installation Process
The installation involves both hardware and software setup. It is critical to follow the guides to ensure that the systems are well-integrated and functioning correctly. Quick start guides are available for each version, aiding developers in swiftly setting up their environments.
Documentation and Support
Detailed documentation provides guidance across various facets, from installation to package management, and localization to perception. The support infrastructure is robust, offering a platform for raising questions and reporting issues to foster community-driven development.
Conclusion
Apollo stands as a beacon for autonomous driving innovation, continually pushing the boundaries with its open-source ethos and comprehensive development infrastructure. It invites developers and businesses alike to partake in its journey towards safer and smarter transportation solutions. With each version, Apollo moves closer to realizing fully autonomous vehicles capable of navigating the world's diverse and dynamic roads.