Optimus Ride, MIT Spinoff, Raises $5.25 Million to Develop Self-Driving Technology
Optimus Ride is a company with big ambitions. The MIT spinoff startup, founded by a team with decades of experience in robotics, on-demand transportation, and electric vehicles, has just secured $5.25 million in seed funding to advance its self-driving technology.
The funding round was led by NextView Ventures and FirstMark Capital, and also included participation from Greycroft Partners, Morado Venture Partners, Haystack, Uj Ventures, and Nvidia. The partnership with Nvidia is particularly noteworthy, as Optimus Ride sees the GPU maker as a strategic partner in its mission to develop Level 4 autonomy systems.
Optimus Ride’s approach to self-driving technology seems to be more focused on providing solutions for mobility as a whole, rather than just outfitting individual carmakers with self-driving systems. The company has already conducted initial testing of its platform, including a September test at Perkins School for the Blind.
While Optimus Ride is not yet disclosing specific details about its technology, the company’s impressive team, including MIT PhDs and veterans of Google[x], Zipcar, and ReThink Robotics, suggests a strong foundation for innovation.
The future of transportation is likely to see a shift away from individual car ownership towards shared car networks and on-demand autonomous services. Optimus Ride appears to be well-positioned to contribute to this evolving landscape. More information about the company’s plans and technology is expected to be revealed in the coming months.
