TOKYO, October 20, 2023 – TIER IV, a pioneer in open-source autonomous driving (AD) technology, proudly announces its successful Level 4 *1 certification for “AI Pilot *2,” an AD system operating without a human driver at the GLP ALFALINK Sagamihara, a large-scale logistics campus in Greater Tokyo, in accordance with the Road Transport Vehicle Act. Roads within the GLP ALFALINK Sagamihara are regulated by the Road Traffic Act, and used by pedestrians and vehicles. This is the first case for a system that conducts perception, prediction and planning using the AD systems, without any dependence on road infrastructure, to obtain the Level 4 certification in such an environment. Following the guidelines for customizing Level 4 commercial autonomous vehicles published in June 2023, TIER IV commits to sharing the process and design for this certification as a solution for its partners that aim to develop AD systems, contributing significantly to the realization of autonomous driving.
This project is positioned as the first effort toward the Japanese government’s goal of the national autonomous driving project, and the certification has been granted for “AI Pilot”, an AD system that is developed by TIER IV. “AI Pilot” consists of open-source software, “Autoware *3,” alongside a sensor system, a computer system, and an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system, which can be equipped with various vehicle models.
TIER IV’s electrical and electronic architecture (EEA)
L4 certification requires verified and validated perception capabilities based on specific use cases
Level 4 certified AD vehicle at the GLP ALFALINK Sagamihara
Through continued research and development as well as evaluation and verification, TIER IV aims to further advance functions and performance of AD systems. Building upon the Level 4 certification obtained under the Road Transport Vehicle Act, TIER IV is poised to utilize its knowledge for the mass production and development of electric vehicles (EVs). Pursuing Level 4 certifications in urban areas nationwide in Japan, TIER IV is taking the lead in the deployment of AD systems towards the government’s goal of establishing over 50 locations with driverless services in Japan by 2025, and over 100 locations by 2027.
*1 In Japan, Level 4 is considered to be fully driverless autonomous driving, which means that a vehicle can handle most driving situations independently, under specific conditions, on public roads.
*2 AI Pilot is a registered trademark of TIER IV.
*3 Autoware is a registered trademark of the Autoware Foundation.
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