TIER IV's autonomous driving software, Pilot.Auto, and cloud-based development platform, Web.Auto, continuously evolve through the integration of real-world data from ongoing projects. This installment showcases how DevOps methodologies are applied to analyze, refine, and enhance the technology that powers autonomous vehicles.

Automotive development has traditionally followed the waterfall methodology, where progress flows sequentially from upstream to downstream based on predefined requirements. This method works well for projects where development progresses in a linear fashion without returning to previous stages, but it’s less effective for autonomous driving, where defining all requirements in advance is difficult.

That is why the agile methodology is required. The advantage of agile development lies in its iterative approach, where software is developed in small, repeatable phases. This allows teams to quickly identify and address any gaps or errors in the requirements early in the process.

DevOps involves applying this method not only to the development phase but also to the operational phase, creating a continuous feedback loop for improvement. Already widely used in web and mobile systems, DevOps coordinates software operations and development to iterate through release cycles. This approach is crucial for accelerating advancements in autonomous driving.

TIER IV's DevOps cycle includes several key components:

1. Field operations

• Vehicles operating in real-world environments are monitored, and the data necessary for analysis is collected.
• Information such as vehicle position, speed, acceleration and deceleration, and proximity to obstacles is tracked.
• In the event of anomalies or hazards, detailed data on the internal state of the open-source autonomous driving software Autoware is gathered.

2. Analysis

• The monitored information and collected data are analyzed to identify the positional relationships and movements at the time of anomalies or dangers, determining the operational scenarios.
• The internal state of Autoware is also examined concerning the operational scenarios, and the causes of anomalies or dangers are analyzed.
• High-priority improvement points are extracted from the analysis results.

3. Development

• The points to be improved are addressed through fixes, software development, and parameter adjustments.

4. Integration

• The developed software is built into an executable format using a continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) system and subjected to simulation tests.
• Vehicle testing is conducted as needed.

5. Release

• Once the software passes the required tests, updates are delivered to the vehicle via over-the-air technology.

By continually repeating this cycle, autonomous vehicles can be progressively improved for greater performance and safety. Evolving the DevOps cycle is crucial for advancing autonomous driving technology, and Web.Auto is designed to streamline this process.

In the eleventh and final installment of this series, we’ll explore the concept of the software-defined vehicle and its transformative impact on the automotive industry.

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.

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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