TIER IV partners with Arm on new automotive technologies

TOKYO, March 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TIER IV, a pioneer in open-source autonomous driving (AD) technology, is excited to be collaborating with Arm, a leader in semiconductor and software design, as a key AD end-application partner.

A group of industry leaders, including TIER IV and the Autoware Foundation (AWF), have partnered with Arm to launch new virtual platforms and software solutions based on leading-edge Arm^® Automotive Enhanced (AE) technologies. This partnership aims to address the growing need to shorten hardware and software development cycles in the age of software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

In this strategic partnership, TIER IV is integrating its state-of-the-art, cloud-native DevOps (development and operations) and MLOps (machine learning operations) platform for autonomous driving, Web.Auto, with virtual models of Arm processors running in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud on Arm-based instances.

Web.Auto embodies a robust suite of development platform tools, featuring AD simulators, enabling the validation of perception, localization, planning and control functions as well as a CI/CD (continuous integration and continuous delivery) data pipeline. TIER IV's tie-up with Arm focuses on the development side of the Web.Auto platform. On the operational front, Web.Auto boasts fleet management and remote monitoring systems. The combined capabilities of these platform tools enable the efficient development and safe operation of AD systems.

This collaboration builds upon the momentum from the CES 2024 Autoware* Open AD Kit demonstration, conducted by AWF, eSync Alliance and SOAFEE, with the participation of other key industry players including TIER IV, Arm, AWS, Excelfore, Leo Drive and Red Hat. The demonstration showcased Web.Auto's capabilities in validating the Open AD Kit Planning container, underscoring the platform's potential in AD technology development.

TIER IV and Arm aim to fuel the "shift left" revolution for hardware and chip development tailored for future AD applications, creating a seamless environment and system-level parity between cloud and automotive edge platforms. This effort empowers industry stakeholders, including automakers, Tier 1 suppliers and chipmakers, to harness the potential of the cloud-native Web.Auto platform to navigate key hardware and IP (intellectual property) decisions and fulfill autonomy requirements before investing in physical hardware or waiting for its availability.

Currently, TIER IV is leading efforts to deploy AD systems across Japan, toward the Japanese government's objective of establishing driverless services in over 50 locations by 2025, and over 100 locations by 2027.

"The goal of our collaboration with Arm is to give automakers and chipmakers the tools they need to design the required hardware that will be essential to scale autonomous driving globally", said Shinpei Kato, Founder, CEO and CTO of TIER IV. "Virtual prototyping can be a game changer, accelerating the journey from AD proof-of-concept tests to widespread commercial deployments."

"Vehicle electronics are becoming more complex driven by growing AI and software needs, so for automakers to achieve faster time to market, a fundamental rethink of product development is needed," said Suraj Gajendra, vice president of products and solutions, Automotive Line of Business, Arm. "Partnering with industry leaders like TIER IV allows us to bring faster and more agile development to autonomous driving built on our leading-edge Automotive Enhanced technology, accelerating development cycles and fueling faster innovation across the industry."

*Autoware is a registered trademark of the Autoware Foundation.

About TIER IV

TIER IV, the pioneering force behind the world's first open-source software for autonomous driving Autoware, offers a range of advanced AD products and solutions, encompassing both software and hardware across multiple platforms. The company is steering the development of safe and efficient autonomous driving technology, aiming to reimagine intelligent vehicles through the art of open source. A founding member of the Autoware Foundation, TIER IV conducts cutting-edge research and development in collaboration with partners worldwide, harnessing Autoware to accelerate the rollout of autonomous vehicles that will benefit society as a whole.

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SOURCE TIER IV,INC