A workflow for generating synthetic LiDAR datasets in simulation environments

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simulation workflow using CoppeliaSim to generate synthetic LiDAR datasets with ground truth, supporting autonomous vehicle perception and sensor security research, while discussing limitations and future enhancements.

Contribution

A novel, automated simulation pipeline for creating synchronized multimodal LiDAR datasets with ground truth, enabling research in perception and security vulnerabilities.

Findings

Generated large-scale synthetic LiDAR point clouds and images

Demonstrated potential for evaluating security threats like spoofing

Discussed limitations and future improvements in realism and scalability

Abstract

This paper presents a simulation workflow for generating synthetic LiDAR datasets to support autonomous vehicle perception, robotics research, and sensor security analysis. Leveraging the CoppeliaSim simulation environment and its Python API, we integrate time-of-flight LiDAR, image sensors, and two dimensional scanners onto a simulated vehicle platform operating within an urban scenario. The workflow automates data capture, storage, and annotation across multiple formats (PCD, PLY, CSV), producing synchronized multimodal datasets with ground truth pose information. We validate the pipeline by generating large-scale point clouds and corresponding RGB and depth imagery. The study examines potential security vulnerabilities in LiDAR data, such as adversarial point injection and spoofing attacks, and demonstrates how synthetic datasets can facilitate the evaluation of defense strategies. Finally, limitations related to environmental realism, sensor noise modeling, and computational scalability are discussed, and future research directions, such as incorporating weather effects, real-world terrain models, and advanced scanner configurations, are proposed. The workflow provides a versatile, reproducible framework for generating high-fidelity synthetic LiDAR datasets to advance perception research and strengthen sensor security in autonomous systems. Documentation and examples accompany this framework; samples of animated cloud returns and image sensor data can be found at this Link.