Looking Back at Autoware at IEEE IV 2026
This June, the Autoware community gathered in Detroit, Michigan, for the 2026 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IEEE IV), bringing together researchers, developers, industry leaders, and open-source contributors from around the world.
Throughout the conference, Autoware was represented across a full program of technical learning, research, industry discussion, and community activities.
Autoware Tutorial & Workshop
The week began with the combined Autoware Tutorial & Workshop, providing a full day of presentations, technical discussions, and poster sessions.
The workshop, now in its eighth edition at IEEE IV, continued to connect academic research with the evolving Autoware ecosystem. This year’s program featured a record 12 accepted papers, alongside contributions and discussions from the Autoware Centers of Excellence and the wider community.
Democratizing Access to Physical AI
Another highlight was the keynote, “Autoware – Democratizing Access to Physical AI,” exploring how open-source collaboration can help make the next generation of AI-driven autonomous driving technology accessible to a broader community.
As autonomous driving increasingly moves toward AI-first and end-to-end approaches, Autoware continues to evolve while staying true to its open-source foundation—connecting research, development, validation, and real-world deployment.
Bringing the Community Together
The Autoware Meetup gave the community another opportunity to connect beyond the technical sessions. Researchers, developers, users, and industry members gathered for networking and a panel discussion on deploying Autoware in industry.
Across the week, conversations at the conference and TIER IV booth also showcased how Autoware is being used for autonomous driving research and real-world applications.
Most importantly, IEEE IV 2026 was about the people behind the technology.
Thank you to all of our speakers, authors, researchers, contributors, sponsors, partners, volunteers, and participants who made the week in Detroit memorable.
Watch the IEEE IV 2026 recap video:
We look forward to continuing the journey—and seeing the community again at IEEE IV 2027 in Perth, Australia.
Building the future of autonomous driving, together!
