Map Publication Gates for Dynamic Object Removal
Last updated: 2026-05-24
Dynamic-object removal changes a map package that vehicles may use for localization, route planning, geofencing, simulation, annotation, and incident review. Publication therefore needs explicit gates, not an informal "map looks cleaner" approval.
Gate Summary
| Gate | Purpose | Required artifact | Stop condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intake | prove source data is controlled | source manifest, calibration, poses, raw logs | missing provenance or incompatible coordinate frame |
| Cleaner run | produce auditable output | raw map, cleaned map, removed/restored/unknown layers | rejected layer missing |
| Static preservation | prevent false deletion | class and asset preservation metrics | safety-critical erosion unresolved |
| Dynamic rejection | prevent ghost maps | dynamic artifact and ghost-rate metrics | moving clutter remains in release layer |
| FOD retention | prevent hazard erasure | FOD retained/reviewed evidence table | hazardous FOD candidate silently deleted |
| Localization replay | prove vehicle can localize | NDT/ICP residuals, inliers, covariance, recovery | release-zone regression |
| Semantic validation | prove topology and rules are intact | Lanelet2/vector map validation, route checks | disconnected route or shifted rule feature |
| Manifest contract | make release evidence machine-checkable | semantic-map manifest with hygiene layer digests and metric vector | missing permanent/dynamic/transient/FOD/artifact/review layer hashes |
| Safety release | connect to AGVS evidence | safety-case delta and operating limits | unapproved ODD or unresolved regulatory dependency |
| Deployment | control rollout and rollback | signed manifest, canary plan, rollback bundle | no rollback or monitor coverage |
Evidence Required Per Map Tile
| Evidence | Fields |
|---|---|
| Tile manifest | site, stand/route, coordinate frame, source session IDs, map version, checksum |
| Cleaning configuration | algorithm, model, thresholds, input filters, runtime, operator, build ID |
| Layer outputs | static, removed, restored, movable-static, FOD/hazard, unknown/review |
| Validation results | PR/RR, static erosion, ghost rate, localization delta, semantic diff |
| Semantic-map manifest fields | outputs.map_hygiene_layer_digests, metrics_evidence.map_hygiene_metrics, reviewer decision, waiver/quarantine state |
| Review record | reviewer, decision, timestamp, comments, linked images/point-cloud views |
| Release state | draft, quarantined, canary, active, rolled back, retired |
Gate Criteria
| Decision | Criteria | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Accept | all gates pass, no unresolved safety-critical false deletion | sign and stage canary |
| Accept with overlay | base map passes, temporary restriction or asset layer required | publish overlay with owner and expiry |
| Quarantine | uncertainty affects route, stand, FOD, or localization feature | block tile and create review ticket |
| Rerun | cleaner parameter or source-data issue is correctable | rerun with locked change note |
| Reject | false deletion, coordinate error, semantic break, or unsafe FOD handling | keep prior map active and open corrective action |
Evidence Conflict Checks
The gate must check conflicts between motion, semantics, persistence, operations, and reviewer policy. A cleaner can pass "dynamic removal" while still publishing a bad map if a stationary movable object is promoted, a fixed object is deleted, or a hazard is converted into free space.
| Conflict | Example | Required gate behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Motion says dynamic; semantics says fixed infrastructure | High flow on pole, curb, marking, wall, gate edge, or fixed sign | Block deletion until pose, de-skew, timestamp, correspondence, and occlusion evidence are reviewed |
| Motion says static; semantics says movable | Parked aircraft, GSE, bus, pallet, cone, barrier, or worker standing still | Quarantine as movable-static/static-transient; do not export as permanent map label |
| Persistent across sessions; operations says temporary | Long-running construction barrier, work-zone equipment, staged storage line | Publish as temporary overlay with owner, expiry, and rollback rule; do not merge into base map |
| Cleaner says noise/artifact; safety zone says hazard-sensitive | Small unknown cluster on stand, route, pedestrian path, or FOD-prone area | Route to FOD/hazard or unknown-review layer; reviewer must approve removal |
| Semantic class changed; localization improves | Removed clutter made NDT residual better but erased a fixed feature class | Require class-preservation evidence before accepting localization-only improvement |
| Reviewer approves; manifest lacks layer digest | Decision exists in ticket but not in release artifact | Fail manifest contract; release cannot be reproduced or audited |
Accepted map tiles should carry a per-cluster or per-region decision chain: motion_state, semantic_mobility, persistence_state, ops_state, map_eligibility, reviewer decision, and release state. This is the publication-side counterpart to the segmentation pipeline's permanence decision layer.
Release Checklist
- Confirm raw, cleaned, removed, restored, and unknown layers exist and share the same frame.
- Verify map_projection, point-cloud map, and vector map are compatible as a bundle.
- Run Lanelet2/map validation and route reachability checks for all affected routes.
- Replay localization with production vehicle configuration and target map loader settings.
- Review removed points near stands, hold lines, pedestrian routes, gate equipment, and FOD-prone areas.
- Attach FAA AGVS test/demo assumptions where the release affects airside operation.
- Sign the map bundle and keep the previous compatible bundle on vehicle or fetchable.
- Canary by zone and vehicle cohort; monitor map-specific telemetry before promotion.
Canary Monitoring
| Monitor | Trigger |
|---|---|
| Localization residual | sustained increase by tile, stand, or route |
| NDT convergence health | low score, high covariance, repeated initial-to-result distance warnings |
| Planner infeasibility | route failures clustered on updated map area |
| Perception-map disagreement | persistent static disagreement or new obstruction reports |
| Operator intervention | manual takeover, remote assist, or stop clustered by map version |
| FOD/hazard ticket mismatch | FOD alert appears in removed/static-cleaning evidence |
Rollback Rules
| Condition | Action |
|---|---|
| coordinate frame mismatch | immediate rollback and vehicle cache audit |
| localization regression | pause rollout, revert affected cohort, preserve logs |
| false-free-space event | rollback and open safety investigation |
| semantic route break | rollback semantic and point-cloud layers as a compatible set |
| expired temporary overlay | remove overlay or republish with fresh approval |
Sources
- FAA AGVS on Airports: https://www.faa.gov/airports/new_entrants/agvs_on_airports
- FAA Emerging Entrants Bulletin 25-02: https://www.faa.gov/airports/new_entrants/bulletins/25_02
- Autoware map component design: https://autowarefoundation.github.io/autoware-documentation/main/design/autoware-architecture/map/
- Autoware map loader: https://autowarefoundation.github.io/autoware_core/latest/map/autoware_map_loader/
- Autoware NDT scan matcher: https://autowarefoundation.github.io/autoware_core/latest/localization/autoware_ndt_scan_matcher/
- Autoware Lanelet2 map validator: https://github.com/tier4/autoware_lanelet2_map_validator
- Local context: ../../50-cloud-fleet/map-operations/hd-map-lifecycle-operations.md
- Local context: map-cleaning-false-deletion-test-protocol.md