New technology, new challenges: Designing an autonomous driving future with Autoware
TIER IV is the creator of Autoware, the world's leading open-source software for autonomous driving, powering intelligent vehicles across the globe. In collaboration with the Autoware Foundation, TIER IV is pioneering advancements in the technology. The company is dedicated to building a sustainable ecosystem and expanding access to autonomous driving solutions worldwide.
We've launched a new series called TIER IV People to provide a closer look at the company, featuring personal stories from our team members that showcase what makes us unique. TIER IV welcomes like-minded people who value creating an environment where all team members can thrive and play an active role in research and development. Everyone here is encouraged to embrace their individuality and take initiative, while working together as one team to drive progress.
For the inaugural installment, we interviewed TIER IV’s first employee, Yusuke Fujii, who shared with us why he joined the company, the changes he’s witnessed, and what he envisions for the future.
Yusuke Fujii | Executive Officer
— Can you start by sharing how you first came across TIER IV and what sparked your interest in autonomous driving technology?
TIER IV officially launched in December 2015, but my history with the founder of the company Shinpei Kato starts before that. We met at Nagoya University when Autoware was still in the research stage. Because the relationship began in that environment, it’s still a little weird to me when people call him CTO Kato and not Dr. Kato.
The professor in charge of my laboratory was good friends with Dr. Kato, and that connection led to the start of a joint research project between us after he returned to Japan from the United States. The research was focused on OS development, with no connection to autonomous driving. At the same time, efforts were underway to develop autonomous driving technology at Nagoya University. Although I was just a student with no experience in autonomous driving, I got the chance to learn on the go, developing an app that was featured at the Nagoya Motor Show.
After my master’s, I joined a major company for a while, until I heard Dr. Kato had established his own business. Back then, TIER IV still had no employees at all. Dr. Kato invited me to work for him, and that was that.
Shinpei Kato, center, and Yusuke, second from left, with students at a university-related event.
— Were you nervous about joining the company as its first employee in 2015?
Not at all. I was only interested in challenging myself by getting involved in the development of cutting-edge technology. Dr. Kato has a certain charm – a way with words that excites people. I felt it when I heard him talk about autonomous driving technology and the future he envisions. I thought that at the very least it would be a fun experience to work with him. It’s been eight years since then, and I still feel the same way. There’s never a dull moment – he still really knows how to make you excited to create.
— When you first joined the company, what was it like?
Even before I was formally an employee, I had been doing some support work on the side, so it didn’t feel like that much of a difference. While I’m technically the first employee, two team members who joined around the same time and I quickly formed a core group. My first task was to prepare plans for governmental research and development projects, and do general maintenance of Autoware.
I can clearly remember the earliest days of proof-of-concept experiments. Back then, we still had to do most things manually – we used Autoware’s runtime manager for the tests, and once we had started up the vehicle, we’d have to load the map and settings ourselves. There was even a day when one of the vehicles arrived late. When it finally came, I had to complete the setup in the few minutes we had before the demonstration. Stressful then, but a fond memory to look back on now!
There were also all sorts of unexpected experiences, like when I was supposed to attend an Autoware seminar as an audience member but somehow ended up presenting. I managed to learn a lot through situations like that.
TIER IV founder Shinpei Kato, second from left, and Yusuke, center, with team members at the Nagoya Motor Show.
— It sounds like it was a challenging time. When did things start to turn around?
My first year at TIER IV was largely spent with partner companies conducting demonstrations and learning the ropes, but the autumn after I joined, I was involved in a major project that was a turning point for the company. A project that had originally been led by TIER IV evolved into a larger, joint development. It marked the moment things shifted from meeting internal goals to a major initiative with the potential to impact society as a whole. Additionally, the focus shifted from merely showcasing autonomous driving technology to ensuring it works in real-world applications and gains acceptance by the general public, without overlooking the finer details.
— TIER IV continues to appear in the news, and public interest in autonomous driving technology is growing. What do you think about this trend?
TIER IV has many different goals and challenges, but for me personally, I’m focused on the practical application of autonomous driving technology in Japan. That’s why it’s crucial a company like TIER IV exists. Technology is important for the practical application of autonomous driving, but it can’t succeed on technology alone. Personally, I think industry momentum and social acceptance are key. In San Francisco, for example, dozens of companies are competing, and autonomous vehicles are constantly on the roads. It’s already been embraced by society as something that’s just part of daily life. Since the technology developed by TIER IV is open source, we hope its accessibility drives industry-wide momentum and growth.
This year (2022), the Japanese government approved a draft amendment to the road traffic laws that will enable Level 4 autonomous driving. It’ll be implemented in one region, and from there, TIER IV plans to participate in creating an unmanned car service that will operate in 40 locations nationwide.
— What is necessary to achieve that goal?
I touched on it earlier, but the most pressing issue is to change the perspective of society on this matter as a whole. While we were only a handful of people in 2015, our numbers have already surpassed 300, with a main office in Tokyo and other locations in Nagoya, China, and San Francisco. I want more people to be involved in autonomous driving technology, developing related services and shaping the future of the sector. To continue our mission of making autonomous driving accessible to all, it's essential to get more talented individuals to join the journey.
— What’s the team like at TIER IV and what kind of candidate would be a good fit?
In one word, it’s very diverse. We’ve had people from wildly varying backgrounds – game developers, traditional engineers, people from manufacturing, and those in the service industry as well. Many of our team members are here not just to develop technology, but to bring their own passions and goals to TIER IV. In other words, if you’re someone with a strong will to try new things and challenge yourself with technology, you'll thrive in an environment that encourages just that.
— The process of scaling up a business collectively is one of the exciting aspects of startups, and TIER IV has clearly created an environment that supports growth. I’d love to hear about some recent challenges you’ve been tackling.
TIER IV is currently selling an automotive camera called the C1. It was originally developed for internal use at TIER IV to meet specifications that off-the-shelf products couldn’t satisfy. Shaped by our extensive experience in autonomous driving, it ended up being a high-performance device. Naturally, it was also built with Autoware integration in mind.
URL: edge.auto/automotive-camera
I’ve seen my fair share of customers having trouble with sensors and other hardware. Autonomous driving involves applications that run in the real world, not only in a digital space. We’ve made Autoware available to download by anyone. It’s inevitable there will be some users who don’t know what is needed for it to run correctly. That’s why I strongly believe it’s important to provide hardware that serves as a reference for autonomous driving technology. In that sense, this camera isn’t just a simple matter of making a good product in the name of profit, but rather about lowering the barrier to entry for those who are still on the fence about entering the autonomous driving sector.
— Lastly, do you have a message for current team members or future applicants?
TIER IV believes it is our responsibility as a company to ensure that the development of autonomous driving software does not simply end at coding. We’re not just here to provide technology. It is important for us to oversee the entire journey from our labs to its use in society. We want autonomous driving to power services that benefit and excite users. From autonomous buses and taxis to delivery robots, I hope to continue contributing to the development of autonomous mobility of all kinds. By drawing on the experience I’ve gained and bringing fresh ideas to the table, I want to help Autoware scale even further.