Bridging Simulation and Usability: A User-Friendly Framework for Scenario Generation in CARLA

Abstract

Autonomous driving promises safer roads, reduced congestion, and improved mobility, yet validating these systems across diverse conditions remains a major challenge. Real-world testing is expensive, time-consuming, and sometimes unsafe, making large-scale validation impractical. In contrast, simulation environments offer a scalable and cost-effective alternative for rigorous verification and validation. A critical component of the validation process is scenario generation, which involves designing and configuring traffic scenarios to evaluate autonomous systems' responses to various events and uncertainties. However, existing scenario generation tools often require programming knowledge, limiting accessibility for non-technical users. To address this limitation, we present an interactive, no-code framework for scenario generation. Our framework features a graphical interface that enables users to create, modify, save, load, and execute scenarios without needing coding expertise or detailed simulation knowledge. Unlike script-based tools such as Scenic or ScenarioRunner, our approach lowers the barrier to entry and supports a broader user base. Central to our framework is a graph-based scenario representation that facilitates structured management, supports both manual and automated generation, and enables integration with deep learning-based scenario and behavior generation methods. In automated mode, the framework can randomly sample parameters such as actor types, behaviors, and environmental conditions, allowing the generation of diverse and realistic test datasets. By simplifying the scenario generation process, this framework supports more efficient testing workflows and increases the accessibility of simulation-based validation for researchers, engineers, and policymakers.