Author: Eric Walz
Applied Intuition Inc., a 2016-founded company that develops simulation software tools to accelerate the commercialization and production of autonomous vehicles, announced $175 million in a new Series D funding round co-led by the entrepreneur and investor Elad Gil and venture capital firms Addition and Coatue Management.
Existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst and Lux Capital also contributed significantly to the cycle.
The latest funding follows a $125 million funding round announced in October 2020. Since 2018, Applied Intuition has raised a total of $350 million from investors, bringing its valuation to $3.6 billion.
Applied Intuition offers a full suite of simulation tools for automakers and developers. The company works with the majority of the world’s top ten automakers, including Toyota and Volkswagen.
Applied Intuition’s simulation products allow self-driving technology developers to safely test their systems in virtual environments before deploying them in the real world in vehicles.
The company offers a simple UI-based workflow for creating scenarios that autonomous vehicles face in the real world, including the behaviors of vehicles, pedestrians and other road users, including intelligent traffic patterns. It ensures that autonomous vehicles will be able to handle complex scenarios such as crowded intersections with pedestrians and vehicles before being deployed in the real world.
Applied Intuition’s simulation technology also allows automakers to calibrate the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) controls system for optimal performance on different vehicle configurations in a virtual world before being added to production vehicles.
The technology helps engineers better train their self-driving algorithms using real-world driving data before commercial deployment.
“The simulation-driven approach allows businesses to grow faster and safer without the risks associated with driving on the road,” Qasar Younis, founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, told the consulting firm in startup. Cottet Foundry Last year. “You can’t just go out into the real world and test your AV’s performance if an animal rushes down a street out of the blue.” said Younis. “That’s what simulation allows you to do, an adequate substitute for real-life testing in certain situations.”
This realistic environment created by Applied Intuition’s simulation tools makes it possible to safely test autonomous technology before commercial deployment. (Photo: Applied Intuition Inc.)
Applied Intuition says its recent rapid growth is the result of the massive investments automakers are making in the development of autonomous vehicles (AV) around the world, as well as the use of autonomous vehicles in other sectors such as logistics. and warehousing.
Before deploying autonomous driving systems in the real world, companies need to be able to test their software with a near-infinite amount of events a vehicle might encounter in the real world, as well as handle massive volumes of generated data. Companies must also be able to demonstrate the security of their system to regulators before deployment.
Also this week, Daimler Truck AG subsidiary Torc Robotics announced a multi-year strategic collaboration with Applied Intuition to test its self-driving trucks in virtual environments to safely deploy and market its self-driving trucks.
Torc Robotics uses simulation technology from Applied Intuition to develop Level 4 autonomous systems for long-haul trucking in the United States. Level 4 autonomous trucks are capable of performing driving functions under specified operating conditions without human intervention.
Applied Intuition is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in Detroit, Los Angeles, Munich, Tokyo and Seoul. The company’s team includes autonomy, software and automotive experts from around the world.
The company also announced this week an advisory board made up of experienced auto industry executives, including Rick Wagoner, former chairman and CEO of General Motors, and Dieter Zetsche, former chairman of the board of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes. -Benz.
Board members will provide strategic guidance to Applied Intuition as it continues to deepen its relationships with automakers.
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