Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in developing algorithms and improving hardware for automated driving. However, conducting research and deploying advanced algorithms on automated vehicles for testing and validation remains costly, especially for academia. This paper presents the efforts of our research team to integrate the newest version of the open-source Autoware software with the commercially available DataSpeed Drive-by-Wire (DBW) system, resulting in the creation of a versatile and robust automated vehicle research platform. Autoware, an open-source software stack based on the 2
nd generation Robot Operating System (ROS2), has gained prominence in the automated vehicle research community for its comprehensive suite of perception, planning, and control modules. The DataSpeed DBW system directly communicates with the vehicle's CAN bus and provides precise vehicle control capabilities. However, there was no existing software package to make the ROS2-based Autoware interact with the DataSpeed DBW kit. We have successfully developed the software module to translate Ackermann control commands from Autoware’s control module to the DBW system, enabling it to execute both longitudinal and lateral controls of the vehicle. The interface also provides comprehensive feedback signals on vehicle status to Autoware. Rigorous testing has been conducted to verify the interface's functionality. Our successful experience integrating Autoware and the DataSpeed DBW system can serve as a valuable resource for researchers aiming to develop similar research vehicle platforms and accelerate the development of safe and efficient automated vehicles. The source code is available at
https://github.com/BELIV-ASU/BELIV_vehicle_interface.git .