Decart has released Oasis 3, a photorealistic driving simulation that autonomous vehicle developers can access through an API, allowing them to run virtual tests without building their own simulation environments. The company positions the tool as a way to accelerate development while making testing safer and cheaper than relying solely on real-world road miles.
What Oasis 3 offers
The simulation generates high-fidelity, photorealistic scenes that mimic real driving conditions — from city streets to highways to adverse weather. Developers can plug into the API and create a range of test scenarios, including rare edge cases that are hard to capture in physical testing. Decart says the level of visual detail is designed to help AV systems learn to handle the unpredictability of actual traffic.
The API approach means teams can integrate the simulator directly into their existing software pipelines, feeding synthetic data into perception models and control systems. That eliminates the need to maintain a separate simulation stack, potentially cutting costs and iteration time.
Why simulation matters for autonomous driving
Autonomous vehicle companies have long relied on simulation to supplement on-road testing, since driving millions of real miles is slow, expensive, and still can't cover every rare scenario. A photorealistic simulator like Oasis 3 aims to close the gap between synthetic data and the messy reality of roads. The more realistic the simulation, the more likely the AV's algorithms will transfer that learning to the physical world.
Decart is not the only player in the space — companies like Waymo, Nvidia, and others have built their own simulators or offer platforms. But the company's emphasis on API-first delivery could make it easier for smaller startups and research groups to access high-quality simulation without a large upfront investment.
Availability and next steps
Oasis 3 is available now through Decart's API. The company hasn't disclosed pricing but says it's designed for integration into commercial and research workflows. Developers can start running scenarios immediately, testing how their vehicles react to sudden obstacles, poor lighting, or unusual road geometry.
The launch comes as regulators push for more rigorous testing before AVs are deployed on public roads. Simulation can help prove safety — but only if it reflects the real world closely enough. Whether Oasis 3 meets that bar will depend on how well its photorealistic scenes hold up against the messy, unpredictable environments AVs will eventually face. For now, developers have a new tool to run those tests before a car ever hits a real street.
