Case Study: Tier IV achieves production-ready Autoware.Auto with Apex.AI

Tier IV - Customer Case Study

Tier IV, a Japan‑based deep‑tech startup behind the Autoware open‑source autonomous‑driving stack, needed to turn research code into a safe, secure, production‑ready platform that could run on different vehicles and meet real‑world performance and certification demands (for example a new Toyota Lexus on US roads). They partnered with Apex.AI, which provides a software stack for safety‑critical autonomous systems and contributed to the Autoware.Auto effort, to address reliability, scalability, and modern engineering practices across distributed teams.

Apex.AI brought modern C++ engineering, ROS 2‑based architectures, modular tested components, and sensor‑agnostic fusion to Autoware.Auto, improving code quality, documentation, and deployment readiness. That work produced successful demos (Palo Alto 2018, Autonomous Valet Parking 2020), helped grow the world’s largest autonomous‑driving open‑source community with thousands of developers, and established a clear path from open‑source to production—shortening timelines and lowering risk for commercial autonomous projects through Apex.AI’s technology and support.

Tier IV

Shinpei Kato

Founder and Chief Technology Officer