MOTOR Ai, a German company specialising in cognitive AI systems for autonomous driving, has secured $20m in a seed financing round for the deployment of the company’s neuroscience-driven technology on public roads in Germany.
eCAPITAL and Segenia Capital spearheaded the funding round which also saw contributions from German high-net-worth individuals (HNWI).
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The fresh capital injection is said to be utilised for the final steps towards type approval for public roads and the following deployment of the company’s autonomous vehicles.
MOTOR Ai has developed a Level 4 autonomous driving intelligence that employs reasoning via data, rather than mere reaction.
At the core of its system is a cognitive architecture based on “active inference”, a neuroscience model that enables vehicles to make transparent decisions.
In 2025, MOTOR Ai plans to initiate operations of vehicles equipped with its Level 4 autonomous system in various districts of the country.
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By GlobalDataAlthough these vehicles will initially be supervised by a safety driver, the aim is to remove the driver by 2026.
The deployments will encompass both the full onboard autonomy stack as well as the technical supervision mandated by law.
The company’s vision is to create a “certified, explainable driver system” that acts as a foundation for “safe and transparent autonomy.”
MOTOR Ai anticipates type-approval after European and German regulations by 2026.
The company was founded by CEO Roy Uhlmann and CTO Adam Bahlke in 2017 in Berlin.
Roy Uhlmann said: “Our solution meets key requirements for transparency and traceability of autonomous driving decisions, as required by authorities.
“That clearly distinguishes us from US providers and at the same time optimally complies with European regulatory requirements.”
