International Women’s Day 2025: From semiconductors to autonomous driving software
To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, we’re celebrating female team members who are helping to shape the future of autonomous driving. At TIER IV, people from diverse backgrounds contribute to advancing this technology, each bringing valuable expertise to the table.
Throughout March, we’re sharing stories of women across the company, highlighting their experiences and the unique perspectives they bring to our vision of making autonomous driving accessible to all. In this installment, we hear from Irene, a project manager who began her career in research and development before moving into a role steering technological developments at TIER IV.
I’m originally from Taiwan and started my career in Japan over a decade ago through a global recruitment program. During my graduate studies, I specialized in the semiconductor field, a sector once dominated by Japan. So when I had the chance to join a world-renowned Japanese semiconductor company as a researcher, I took it. At the time, my Japanese skills were close to zero, but I’ve always been eager to take on challenges and continuously learn. Semiconductors may seem unfamiliar to the general public, but they are the foundation of technological advancement – especially in applications such as autonomous driving.
My route into the autonomous driving industry began at a sensor supplier, where I worked on applied technologies for self-driving systems. After that, I joined an automaker, where I led projects managing technology development and mass production. Through my experience in the automotive industry, I came to realize that software will play an increasingly critical role in the future of autonomous driving.
TIER IV is a company built on software-first principles, with extensive expertise in integrating hardware and software, and the capability to develop Level 4 autonomous vehicles. In many ways, it was the missing piece of the puzzle in my pursuit of advancing autonomous driving technology. Now, as a technical project manager at TIER IV, I bridge the gap between technical development and business strategy.
The company is expanding its presence overseas. In discussions with research institutions around the world, I not only get to use my trilingual proficiency in Mandarin, English, and Japanese, but I have also gained deeper insights into how the unique traffic environments and cultures around the world shape each country’s approach to autonomous driving and AI.
As we strive toward the ultimate goal of fully autonomous driving, one of the greatest challenges is how to effectively integrate global expertise into a powerful and efficient ecosystem, with Autoware at its core. Being part of this journey is both exciting and deeply meaningful. I’m truly grateful to be contributing to this transformation of the automotive industry.
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TIER IV is always on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our journey. If you share our vision of making autonomous driving accessible to all, get in touch.
We’re currently hiring for the following related positions:
Visit our careers page to view all job openings.
If you’re uncertain about which roles align best with your experience, or if the current job openings don’t quite match your preferences, register your interest here. We’ll get in touch if a role that matches your experience becomes available, and schedule an informal interview.
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