An Introduction to Autoware and Its Application Platforms

Organizers

• Alexander Carballo: Gifu University and TIER IV (alex@gifu-u.ac.jp)
• Simon Thompson: TIER IV (simon.thompson@tier4.jp)

Abstract

Autoware is the largest open-source project and community around software and hardware for self-driving vehicles. The Autoware Foundation (AWF) has over 70 members from academia, industry, and government, contributing to the shared resources to cover the full spectrum of software and hardware for the autonomous driving ecosystem. Autoware has found widespread adoption: it is used by hundreds of companies, runs on 30+ vehicle types, and is used in 20+ countries.

Autoware is the world’s first open-source self-driving software, based on ROS (Robot Operating System) middleware, with all the necessary features required for fully autonomous driving: sensing, localization, perception, planning, and control; supports multiple vehicle interfaces as well as map formats. Participants, no matter their respective backgrounds and expertise, will find an interesting and engaging environment for discussion of practical aspects of self-driving using Autoware as a framework, as well as to discuss related state-of-the-art methods.

This tutorial aims to introduce the open-source autonomous driving software Autoware Universe and to detail how it can be used in autonomous driving research. Autoware is an open source software platform and supporting ecosystem for autonomous driving research and development. Speakers are invited from universities worldwide to give talks on various autonomous vehicle related topics and the application of Autoware in these fields. The tutorial will serve as a general introduction to Autoware and the challenges in deploying autonomous driving systems in the real world. It will help the audience get familiar with installing Autoware, deploying Autoware on vehicle platforms and using Autoware in research projects. The tutorial will be split into 60-minute sessions, each covering a topic of interest. A detailed description for each session is provided below.

We seek to engage the IEEE ITS Society and Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference (ITSC) participants, broadening the Autoware community. This tutorial also aims to promote Autoware related efforts in Euro therefore increasing the community and ecosystem. This tutorial offers value to both newcomers and seasoned professionals. Newcomers will gain foundational knowledge about Autoware, its capabilities, and real-world applications, enabling them to advance their research or develop self-driving solutions. Experienced professionals will gain insights into the latest advancements and find opportunities to contribute their expertise to a vibrant, open-source community dedicated to advancing autonomous driving technology for all. 

Recent developments within the community have elevated Autoware’s role in the research domain. It has been actively used for self-driving vehicle racing, pushing the boundaries of performance and technology. Additionally, the Autoware Centers of Excellence (CoE)—a global network of over 40 universities—actively leverage and develop Autoware for academic purposes, involving students and researchers in its evolution. 

Professors, students, independent researchers, and industrial partners are welcome to attend. To fully enjoy its benefit, the ideal audience should have a background in vehicle technology. It is also helpful but not required to have an understanding of autonomous vehicles on either hardware or software. We expect 50 to 70 attendees during the presentation.

Topics/Keywords: 

Autoware, autonomous driving, open-source software (OSS)

Outline

All presentations are 40 to 60 minutes including Q&A. Some of the specific topics and speakers are yet to be confirmed. A hands-on demonstration on an actual autonomous driving platform is planned. The tutorial will cover several of the following topics:

• Detailed tutorials on Autoware OS software use for research and development for the purpose of educating students and enabling autonomous driving R&D.
• Descriptions of deployed Autoware enabled autonomous systems to real world operational environments.
• Introduction to open hardware and software reference designs that enable the easy adoption of autonomous driving technology within the Autoware ecosystem.
• Different aspects of autonomous driving technology illustrated or implemented with the use of Autoware OSS.

List of speakers (TBC)

Schedule (TBC)

OPENNING

• 8:30 – 8:40 (GMT+2, CEST) : Welcome address

• ​8:40 – 9:00 (GMT+2, CEST) : Update from the Autoware Foundation, SPC Vice Chair, AWF

COFFEE BREAK

• 9:00 – 9:20 (GMT+2, CEST)

• 9:20 – 10:00 (GMT+2, CEST)
  • Introduction: Autoware a platform for Autonomous Driving Development
  • Ryohsuke Mitsudome (The Autoware Foundation, TIER IV)

• 10:00 – 10:40 (GMT+2, CEST)
  • Nebula: The Open-Source Universal Sensor Driver for Autoware
  • Simon Thompson (TIER IV)

• 10:40 – 11:20 (GMT+2, CEST)
  • Software-Defined Vehicle Implementation based on Autoware’s Open AD Kit on an Autonomous Developer Chassis
  • Alexander Carballo (Gifu University)

• 11:20 – 12:00 (GMT+2, CEST)
  • EDGAR: An Autonomous Driving Research Platform based on Autoware
  • Johannes Betz and Mattia Piccinini (Technical University of Munich)

LUNCH BREAK

• 12:00 – 13:00 (GMT+2)

• 13:00 – 14:00 (GMT+2, CEST)
  • BeamNG.tech driving simulator and Autoware
  • Alexander Carballo (Gifu University)

• 14:00 – 15:00 (GMT+2, CEST)
  • Tecnocad autonomous vehicle platform development
  • Matteo Barale (Tecnocad Group)

• 15:00 – 17:00 (GMT+2, CEST)
  • Demonstration of Tecnocad autonomous Robobus
  • Matteo Barale (Tecnocad Group)

CLOSING

• 17:00 – 17:10 (GMT+2, CEST): Closing remarks by the tutorial organizers.

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Join us in Naples to collaborate with the Autoware community and help shape the future of open-source autonomous driving!