ティアフォー：The Autoware Foundationを設立 自動運転OSの業界標準へ

ティアフォーは、米Apex.AIおよび英Linaroと共同で自動運転OSの業界標準を目指す世界初の国際業界団体「The Autoware Foundation」（AWF）を設立する。誰でも無償で使える自動運転OSとして国際的に導入が広がる国産の「Autoware（オートウェア）」を世界で一層普及させ、国や企業を問わず自動運転の早期実現が促されるよう参画企業が一丸となって実用化に取り組む。

　AWFはAutoware.AI、Autoware.Auto、Autoware.IOという3つのカテゴリの中で、Autowareに関する種々のプロジェクトを発足させ、発展させていくための非営利団体。Autoware.AIは、2015年から続く従来のAutowareプロジェクトを踏襲するカテゴリであり、主に研究開発用途として国内外で既に100社以上、30種類以上の自動運転車両に導入されている。
Autoware.Autoは、Autoware.AIを機能安全の観点から見直し、次世代のRobot Operating System（ROS）であるROS 2フレームワークを用いて再設計された新しい車載用Autowareの開発に関するカテゴリ。Autoware.IOは、Autoware向けの様々なECU、アーキテクチャ、車両制御インタフェース、サードパーティ製ソフトウェア、ツール関係を取りまとめるカテゴリ。

　代表理事の加藤真平氏に加え、Apex.AIのJan Becker氏、LinaroのYang Zhang氏がAWFの理事に就任する。一方、各種プロジェクトの技術開発を先導する技術委員会（Technical Steering Committee）は、参画企業・団体から選出された代表者によって形成される。また、AutowareはROSおよびROS 2をフレームワークとして採用していることから、Open Robotics (OSRF) のBrian Gerkey氏がAWFのアドバイザーを務める。ティアフォー、Apex.AI、Linaroのほかに、AWF設立時の参画企業・団体は以下の通り（アルファベット順）。

ARM, AutoCore, AutonomouStuff, eSOL, Huawei/HiSilicon, Intel Labs, Kalray, LG Electronics, Nagoya University, Open Robotics (OSRF), Parkopedia, RoboSense, SEMI Japan, SiFive/RISC-V Foundation, StreetDrone, Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD), Velodyne LiDAR, Xilinx

　AWFでは、自動運転技術の発展に貢献したいという考えをもつあらゆる企業・団体の参画を歓迎している。AWF参画に関する詳細は以下へ。
ウェブサイト: https://autoware.org/
Eメール: auto@autoware.org

AWF理事からのコメント:
“Thank all of you involved in making this crucial launch of the Autoware Foundation. Autoware will drive innovation for everyone who loves open-source software and autonomous driving technology. We can never make it alone. We are all here to open the way to the future together. Tier IV's vision is to democratize an ecosystem of intelligent vehicles. As part of the Autoware Foundation, Tier IV provides mobility service platforms and software toolchains that enable Autoware to be deployed in the emerging market.”
—— Shinpei Kato, Founder and CTO, Tier IV

“Apex.AI is thrilled to be part of the Autoware Foundation. An open source project of this scope needs to be independent from a single company and must embrace the community supporting it. Therefore we are following the example of the Linux Foundation and Open Robotics by putting all Autoware projects under the roof of this foundation.”
—— Jan Becker, Co-Founder and CEO, Apex.AI

“Autoware has recognized momentum in the industry and we are excited to be able to build on its success to offer open source projects supporting the deployment of the world’s leading autonomous vehicle technology. Linaro’s 96Boards program will help define the standardized hardware platforms on which to maintain and grow the Autoware code base and extend support for it across a broader range of SoC solutions.”
—— Yang Zhang, Director of 96Boards, Linaro

参画企業・団体からのコメント:
”As we work towards the mass deployment of safe, fully autonomous vehicles, we need to ensure that automotive players have the ability to influence technical direction and implement platform support for their solutions. This partnership will allow the Autoware ecosystem to further collaborate on certifiable software stacks for secure, safe, and efficient next-generation vehicles.”
—— Mark Hambleton, Vice President Open Source Software, Arm

“The AutonomouStuff team leads the industry in implementing, supporting and deploying Autoware applications in automated vehicles and fleets. As part of the Autoware Foundation, we look forward to enabling further rapid development of autonomous driving solutions that will utilize our combined solutions.”
—— Bobby Hambrick, Founder and CEO, AutonomouStuff

"We are excited to join this new venture to further accelerate the realization of autonomous driving technologies. eSOL already supports Autoware with its eMCOS, the scalable and safe RTOS, and welcomes the idea of safety-certifiable Autoware. "
—— Masaki Gondo, CTO and Vice President, eSOL

“We are thrilled to be joining the Autoware Foundation. Huawei is a leading global ICT solutions provider. We advocate customer-centricity, dedication, and continuous innovation based on customer needs. Collaboration with Autoware enables us to work with the community to develop the self-driving vehicle software that accelerates the industry growth and benefits our customers.”
—— Jerry Su, Chief Architect of Huawei Autonomous Driving, Huawei

“We are very excited of participating to the Autoware Foundation creation. The Autoware open software stack is one of the most advanced software available today for autonomous and intelligent systems. We will work with the other members of the foundation to open, extend and industrialize this software solution and make it run with optimum efficiency on Kalray MPPA intelligent processor family”
—— Eric Baissus, CEO, Kalray

“We are excited to join the Autoware Foundation and to offer LG's autonomous driving simulator with built-in support for Autoware to facilitate research, development, and testing of autonomous software. We look forward to collaborating with foundation members and the community at large as we drive towards an autonomous future together.”
—— Seonman Kim, Vice President of Advanced Platform Lab, LG Electronics.

“We're excited to be part of the Autoware Foundation. We share a common vision of building new industries on open platforms. It's exciting to see Autoware committing to using and contributing to ROS 2, and we look forward to further collaboration between our communities."
—— Brian Gerkey, CEO, Open Robotics (OSRF)

“We are thrilled to be joining the Autoware Foundation at such an early stage following our involvement and contributions to the Autoware open source self-driving car project. Parkopedia is committed to building high quality automotive-grade maps to support Autonomous Valet Parking and our collaboration with Autoware enables us to work with the community to develop the self-driving car software on which we will demonstrate these maps.”
——Brian Holt, Head of Autonomous Driving, Parkopedia

“Autoware”as an open-source software platform has widespread influence in the autonomous driving ecosystem. That it has already established deep cooperation with numerous world’s top autonomous driving players and that it has never ceased in promoting the development of autonomous driving technology is highly in alignment with the vision of RoboSense. It’s our greatest honor to become the Founding Member of the Autoware Foundation. Through providing the best LiDAR system solutions comprised of LiDAR hardware and software, we wish to share our interpretation and accumulation of technology in the LiDAR and the autonomous driving industry, and to make our share of contribution to the Foundation.”
—— Mark Qiu, CO-founder and COO, RoboSense

”Through participation to the Autoware Foundation, TRI-AD would like to help build a large, engaged, and self-governed open source community around Autonomous Driving Technology by contributing and providing support for code that it will be using internally.”
—— James Kuffner, CEO, Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD)

“We are very proud to be Autoware Foundation members. Xilinx’s flexible and adaptive processing platforms will contribute to define projects towards the development of semi-autonomous and autonomous platforms with Autoware Foundation members.”
—— Dan Isaacs, Director of Automotive Strategy & Market Development, Xilinx Inc.