#Japan #Tokyo #Autonomous Driving #TIER IV #Open Data

TIER IV: A Leap Towards Autonomous Driving Development

TIER IV, a pioneering deep-tech company with a vision of democratizing autonomous driving, has recently been selected by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry for a project aimed at resolving regional mobility issues through the development and demonstration of autonomous driving services. This initiative signifies an important step in creating robust standard models for Level 4+ autonomous vehicles and establishing a comprehensive open dataset to facilitate transparent and traceable end-to-end AI developments.

The project embodies collaboration between TIER IV and a consortium of stakeholders, including major automobile manufacturers, to establish a Japanese-centric autonomous driving standard model. By doing so, TIER IV aims to accelerate the implementation of innovative autonomous driving services throughout Japan while also fostering connections with the global market to address societal issues and urban development challenges.

In concert with this endeavor, TIER IV will integrate real-world data with generative AI technologies to create a virtual dataset. This dataset will enable the simulation of various traffic environments, laying the groundwork for a robust cycle of safety and functionality validation.

By April 2025, TIER IV plans to work closely with Carnegie Mellon University to develop a hybrid architecture that integrates robotics technology with data-centered AI. This cooperation will enrich the standard models envisioned for Level 4+ autonomous driving while ensuring that the decision-making processes of embedded AI are both transparent and verifiable.

Key Initiatives Under the Project

1. Construction of a Standard Model for Level 4+ Autonomous Driving:
TIER IV will incorporate multiple end-to-end generative AI models into autonomous driving systems, conducting tests across a variety of scenarios to evaluate and compare the characteristics of each model. Based on the verification results, TIER IV aims to propose effective verification propositions and methodologies for evaluating generative AI models, ultimately charting a roadmap for their implementation.

2. Establishment and Provision of Open Datasets for High Transparency and Traceability in AI Development:
Utilizing vehicles designed for Level 4+ autonomous driving, TIER IV will gather operational data primarily within Tokyo. The integration of this driving data with virtual data will result in the creation of a large-scale dataset that evaluates the safety and functionality of autonomous driving systems in complex and diverse environments.

Furthermore, to address errors or hallucinations in generative AI, TIER IV will validate models through comparisons with various real-world datasets while assessing their applicability in autonomous driving systems. This process will facilitate the ongoing improvement of models within the MLOps pipeline.

3. Collaboration with Automobile Manufacturers:
TIER IV will work hand-in-hand with automotive developers to discern the potential and effective utilization of generative AI models, defining the requirements for virtual data and thus providing a large-scale dataset.

As stipulated by the government’s Mobility DX Strategy, TIER IV aims to establish a profitable autonomous taxi business in Japan as swiftly as possible. Moreover, the insights acquired from this project are designed to be applicable to passenger vehicles in the future, contributing to the enhancement of Japan’s automotive industry competitiveness.

TIER IV is committed to advancing the societal implementation of autonomous driving and supporting the government’s objectives through this initiative.

About TIER IV

Founded in December 2015, TIER IV leads the development of 'Autoware,' the world’s first open-source autonomous driving software. With a mission to foster the democratization of autonomous driving, the company offers software platforms built upon Autoware, developing solutions tailored to market demands. TIER IV is determined to expand the potential of autonomous driving systems through partnerships across the globe, working towards a better society. Autoware is a registered trademark of The Autoware Foundation.

For more information about TIER IV, please visit TIER IV Official Website. For media inquiries, contact [email protected].