Autoware System Designer

Autoware System Designer is a comprehensive toolset designed to define, build, and deploy Autoware systems in a modular and structured way. It allows developers to describe the software architecture using configuration files (YAML) and automatically generates system artifacts such as ROS 2 launch files, visualization diagrams, and parameter templates.

Overview

Traditional ROS 2 launch files can become complex and hard to manage as a system grows. Autoware System Designer solves this by introducing a higher-level abstraction layer that separates system design from deployment details.

Key Features

• Modular Architecture: Define systems using reusable Nodes and Modules.
• Automatic Launch Generation: Generate correct-by-construction ROS 2 XML launch files.
• System Visualization: Automatically generate diagrams (node graphs, sequence diagrams) to visualize the system structure and data flow.
• Parameter Management: Manage parameters efficiently using Parameter Sets and schema validation.
• Deployment Configuration: Easily switch between different hardware configurations or simulation modes using Deployments.

Core Concepts

The system is built upon four main entity types:

1. Node (*.node.yaml)

Represents a single ROS 2 node. It defines:

• Package: Package name and provider information.
• Launch: Node execution configuration (plugin, executable, container settings, etc.).
• Inputs/Outputs: Ports (topics) with message types, QoS settings, and remap targets.
• Parameters: Configuration variables (inline or via parameter files).
• Processes: Internal logic flow with trigger conditions and outcomes.

2. Module (*.module.yaml)

A container for grouping nodes and other sub-modules. It defines:

• Instances: Nodes/modules contained within.
• Connections: Wiring between internal components.
• External Interfaces: Ports exposed to the outside world.

3. System (*.system.yaml)

The top-level description of a complete autonomous driving system. It defines:

• Variables: System-wide configuration variables and variable files.
• Components: Top-level nodes/modules with compute unit assignment, namespaces, and parameter sets.
• Node Groups: Group nodes by listing their node paths (currently ROS 2 component containers are implemented).
• Connections: Data flow between components.
• Modes: Operation modes (e.g., Runtime, Simulation) with mode-specific overrides.

4. Parameter Set (*.parameter_set.yaml)

A collection of parameter overrides that can be applied to specific nodes in a system, allowing for flexible configuration management without modifying the core node definitions.

Project Structure

To use Autoware System Designer in your ROS 2 package, organize your files as follows:

src/<package_name>/
├── design/
│   ├── node/           # *.node.yaml
│   ├── module/         # *.module.yaml
│   ├── system/         # *.system.yaml
│   └── parameter_set/  # *.parameter_set.yaml
├── deployment/         # *.deployment.yaml (System instantiation)
├── schema/             # *.schema.json (Parameter schemas)
├── CMakeLists.txt
└── package.xml

Build Integration

Autoware System Designer integrates directly into the CMake build process. Select the appropriate macros based on your package type.

In your CMakeLists.txt:

find_package(autoware_system_designer REQUIRED)

# 1. Generate standalone node launchers (Optional)
# Use this if your package defines nodes and you want individual launch files.
autoware_system_designer_generate_launcher()

# 2. Generate parameter files from schemas (Optional)
# Use this if your package contains JSON schemas in the schema/ directory.
autoware_system_designer_parameter()

# 3. Build a full system deployment (Deployment Packages Only)
# Use this only in the package responsible for building the full system configuration.
autoware_system_designer_build_deploy(
  ${PROJECT_NAME}
  vehicle_x.system
  PRINT_LEVEL=WARNING
  STRICT=AUTO  # AUTO|ON|OFF (AUTO follows AUTOWARE_SYSTEM_DESIGNER_BUILD_DEPLOY_STRICT)
)

Use as an independent workspace

# make workspace and git clone
cd ~/workspace
git clone git@github.com:autowarefoundation/autoware_system_designer.git autoware_system_designer/src
cd autoware_system_designer

# set dependency
source /opt/ros/$ROS_DISTRO/setup.bash
rosdep update
rosdep install -y --from-paths src --ignore-src --rosdistro $ROS_DISTRO

# build
colcon build

# open visualization page (use your web browser)
firefox install/systems.html
google-chrome install/systems.html

Glossary

Entity Definitions

• System: The complete software stack.
• Module: A reusable group of nodes/modules.
• Node: An atomic software unit (process).
• Parameter Set: Configuration overrides.

Connectivity

• Port: An interface for data exchange (Input/Output).
• Connection: A link between ports.
• Topic: The resolved ROS 2 topic name.

Execution

• Process: A logical unit of execution within a node (e.g., a callback).
• Event: A runtime occurrence of a process.

Instantiation

• Deployment: A specific instance of a System tailored for an environment/vehicle.
• Component: A top-level instance within a System.