METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR CLOSED-LOOP EVALUATION FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

A method for closed-loop evaluation of path planning modules for a vehicle equipped with an Automated Driving System (ADS) is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a candidate path from each of a plurality of path planning modules of the ADS. The method further includes determining a fulfilment of convergence criteria by the obtained candidate paths by comparing the obtained candidate paths with each other and determining a level of convergence between the candidate paths. If the convergence criteria is fulfilled, one of the obtained candidate paths is selected and the vehicle is controlled so to execute the selected candidate path. If the convergence criteria is not fulfilled, determining an exposure need of each path planning module in view of a predicted scene or scenario in the surrounding environment of the vehicle that the vehicle is expected to be exposed to while executing any one of the obtained candidate paths.