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Open source philosophy#

Autoware is an open source software framework for autonomous driving, licensed under the Apache 2.0 license. This permissive licensing model allows users to freely use, modify, and distribute the software, even for commercial purposes, while ensuring proper attribution. This provides the following benefits to the users and developers:

  • Transparency & Validation: Open access to the source code allows researchers, developers, and industry experts to inspect, validate, and improve the software, ensuring robustness and reliability.
  • Collaboration & Innovation: A shared development model encourages contributions from a global community, accelerating advancements in autonomous technology.
  • Interoperability & Standardization: Autoware adheres to common standards and widely adopted environments, ensuring seamless integration with diverse platforms, sensors, and vehicle architectures.
  • Cost & Accessibility: By eliminating proprietary software costs, Autoware lowers the barriers to entry for startups, researchers, and commercial developers, enabling broader adoption and experimentation.