# GarchingSim: An Autonomous Driving Simulator with Photorealistic Scenes and Minimalist Workflow

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.15803 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.15803/

## Key facts

- Cited by 5 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 8 of its 23 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 28 Jan 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 8 of 8)

- [PyTorch: An Imperative Style, High-Performance Deep Learning Library](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1912.01703/) (2019)
- [CARLA: An Open Urban Driving Simulator](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1711.03938/) (2017)
- [End to End Learning for Self-Driving Cars](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1604.07316/) (2016)
- [Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Driving: A Survey](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2002.00444/) (2020)
- [Deep Reinforcement Learning framework for Autonomous Driving](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1704.02532/) (2017)
- [LGSVL Simulator: A High Fidelity Simulator for Autonomous Driving](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.03778/) (2020)
- [The State of Modeling, Simulation, and Data Utilization within Industry: An Autonomous Vehicles Perspective](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1910.06075/) (2019)
- [Autonomous Driving Simulator based on Neurorobotics Platform](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.00089/) (2022)

## Built on by (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [ReconDreamer-RL: Enhancing Reinforcement Learning via Diffusion-based Scene Reconstruction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.08170/) (2025)
- [SEED4D: A Synthetic Ego--Exo Dynamic 4D Data Generator, Driving Dataset and Benchmark](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.00730/) (2024)
- [Sky-Drive: A Distributed Multi-Agent Simulation Platform for Human-AI Collaborative and Socially-Aware Future Transportation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.18010/) (2025)
- [High-Fidelity Digital Twins for Bridging the Sim2Real Gap in LiDAR-Based ITS Perception](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.02904/) (2025)
- [From Virtual Environments to Real-World Trials: Emerging Trends in Autonomous Driving](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.17714/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Conducting real road testing for autonomous driving algorithms can be expensive and sometimes impractical, particularly for small startups and research institutes. Thus, simulation becomes an important method for evaluating these algorithms. However, the availability of free and open-source simulators is limited, and the installation and configuration process can be daunting for beginners and interdisciplinary researchers. We introduce an autonomous driving simulator with photorealistic scenes, meanwhile keeping a user-friendly workflow. The simulator is able to communicate with external algorithms through ROS2 or Socket.IO, making it compatible with existing software stacks. Furthermore, we implement a highly accurate vehicle dynamics model within the simulator to enhance the realism of the vehicle's physical effects. The simulator is able to serve various functions, including generating synthetic data and driving with machine learning-based algorithms. Moreover, we prioritize simplicity in the deployment process, ensuring that beginners find it approachable and user-friendly.