The Autoware Challenge 2024, hosted by the Autoware Foundation and sponsored by TIER IV, recently concluded its presentation phase. This annual event invites developers, researchers, and students worldwide to propose practical solutions that enhance the Autoware autonomous driving software stack. With growing interest in autonomous vehicle software, the challenge plays an important role in driving open-source innovation in the self-driving car ecosystem.

What is the Autoware Challenge?

The Autoware Challenge is a global competition focused on solving real-world problems in autonomous driving software development. Participants are encouraged to submit projects that improve key aspects of Autoware, such as perception, localization, mapping, planning, and control. These components are essential to building reliable autonomous vehicles that can operate safely in diverse environments.

Highlights from the Autoware Challenge 2024

This year’s challenge started in June 2024 and ran through January 2025, attracting a variety of innovative proposals. The teams presented solutions ranging from pedestrian trajectory prediction to advanced 3D object detection and fail-safe teleoperation systems.

These projects not only advance Autoware’s capabilities but also reflect the growing maturity of open-source autonomous driving technologies.

Autoware: The Open-Source Software Behind the Challenge

Autoware is the world’s first all-in-one open-source software stack for autonomous vehicles. Built on the Robot Operating System (ROS), it supports a full range of functions needed for self-driving cars, including perception, localization, planning, and vehicle control. Because it is open source, Autoware encourages collaboration and continuous improvement by a global community of developers and companies.

The Autoware Foundation manages the project, bringing together member organizations to guide strategic and technical development. This organizational support helps ensure that Autoware remains reliable, scalable, and aligned with real-world industry needs.

Meet the 2024 Winners

After careful evaluation by judges from the Autoware Foundation and TIER IV, the following teams were awarded prizes for their outstanding contributions:

• 🥇 1st Place: Team CommonRoad — Rapid prototyping tools for motion planning research
  
• 🥈 2nd Place: Team AV Perception — Application-centered pedestrian trajectory prediction
  
• 🥉 3rd Place: Team GT-ARC, TU Berlin — Range of experts for 3D object detection using multiple sensors
  
• 🏅 Honorable Mention: Team FTM Mapping — Long-term consistent point cloud mapping techniques
  

These winners demonstrated innovative approaches that address pressing challenges in autonomous driving, providing tangible improvements to the Autoware ecosystem.

Why the Autoware Challenge Matters

As autonomous driving technology progresses, open-source platforms like Autoware play a crucial role in accelerating research and deployment. The Autoware Challenge encourages collaboration among universities, companies, and independent developers to tackle real problems using shared resources. This open approach helps reduce barriers to entry, speeds up development cycles, and increases transparency in self-driving software innovation.

Watch the Presentations and Join the Community

All the presentations from the Autoware Challenge 2024 are now available on the Autoware Foundation’s YouTube channel. We invite enthusiasts, researchers, and industry professionals to watch the videos, learn about the latest advancements, and engage with the community driving open autonomous vehicle technology forward.

Stay connected with the Autoware Foundation for future events, updates, and opportunities to contribute to one of the most active open-source autonomous driving projects worldwide.