Assetto Corsa Rally uses laser scanning to build authentic stages

The development team behind Assetto Corsa Rally has outlined its approach to creating rally stages using laser scanning technology. Game director Irvin Zonca explained that the scanning process actually accelerates development rather than slowing it down, as the team obtains an accurate digital foundation of the real road surface and can begin work immediately, rather than manually constructing routes from scratch and iterating multiple times.

For rally simulation, precision is particularly critical. Authentic road irregularities, surface profile, and texture are essential to ensure vehicles behave realistically on the virtual stages. Without this level of detail, the driving feel would suffer significantly.

The workflow begins with the team selecting and studying a target road. An external specialist company then conducts the laser scanning, with a vehicle equipped with scanning hardware slowly traversing the stage. In certain sections, technicians also walk the route on foot to capture additional detail. Landmark features are further refined using photogrammetry. A single stage typically requires approximately four to six months to complete from initial selection through final implementation.