The Autoware Foundation has been established with collaborations from Linaro, Japan-based company Tier IV and auto-driving software firm Apex.AI. The foundation is an open-source platform for autonomous vehicles based on Tier IV's Linux/ROS Autoware software. The foundation is a non-for-profit organization meant to provide growth, initiate and fund open-sourced projects with Autoware.AI, Autoware.Auto and Autoware.IO. Autoware.IO will contain platform support based on 96Boards products, vehicle control interfaces and an array of third-party software and hardware tools. The projects include simulators, device drivers for sensors, hardware-independent programs and by-wire controllers for vehicles. Overall, Autoware is in use by over 100 companies in more than 30 vehicles. The bsd-licensed platform accommodates self-driving modules composed of sensing, computing and capabilities that calculate actuations with support specifically designed for camera, LiDAR, IMU and GPS for navigating.
Shinpeo Kato developed the original autonomous vehicle, Autowae.AI. Tier IV was later on founded by Kato to create Autoware.Auto by rewriting Autoware.AI with ROS 2.0. It will run on Tire IV's mini-EV, Milee and Logiee.
A rendered image of Milee, Tier IV's autonomous EV. (Image Credit: http://linuxgizmos.com/open-source-autonomous-driving-project-to-build-on-96boards-sbcs/)
The autoware is meant to be used for driving under 40mph. Milee and Logiee both run on Autoware.Auto stack on Nvidia's Arm-powered Drive PX2 mainboard for autonomous vehicles. 
3D maps and SLAM algorithms enable localization features with GNSS and IMU sensors. Meanwhile, detection algorithms are connected to cameras and LiDARs using deep neural networks and sensor fusion algorithms. The prediction functions are based on localization and detection module outputs. It is available with a simulation environment for users who do not have a Drive PX2 development kit.
The connection between Apex and AI isn't very clear. The Palo Alto company offers an autonomous vehicle of Robot Operating System 2.0 named Apex.OS. It's designed to run on Linux while still supporting Windows and QNX.
Many open source autonomous driving projects have been created, including the openpilot driving agent. It's the first open source driving stack being used. Other open self-driving platforms have been summarized here, in the TTN story. Linux's open source Automotive Grade Linux in-vehicle project will move into autonomous vehicles at a later date.
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