Seattle startup Overland AI, founded in 2022, is a hot company developing autonomous driving technology for off-road vehicles. The company recently announced a $10 million seed round to fuel its growth. Overland is working with the U.S. military, specifically the U.S. Army, to develop its OverDrive technology platform for the Robotic Combat Vehicle. CEO Byron Boots stated that the mission of Overland AI is to eliminate risk to humans by using robot-controlled vehicles for high-risk situations, emphasizing that there is no reason to risk a soldier’s life when a robot can do the job just as well.
Overland AI has found success in a niche market as some other self-driving companies struggle to make advancements in traditional street driving. Despite a slowdown in funding for autonomous vehicle startups, Overland and London’s Wayve are still attracting attention and investment from venture capital investors. Overland’s technology can be installed on any vehicle and is designed to navigate various conditions at different speeds using advanced machine learning capabilities to analyze surrounding terrain in real time. The technology does not rely on GPS and can avoid detection.
Overland AI’s CEO, Byron Boots, is a highly regarded robotics researcher who has a background in machine learning and has worked on military-related applications of self-driving technology. Overland’s CTO, Jonathan Fink, has a research background with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, while the other co-founders, Stephanie Bonk and Greg Okopal, bring experience from companies such as Apple, PROS, and defense research programs. Overland has a team of 27 employees who previously worked for top self-driving companies like Google, Waymo, and Aurora Innovation.
The $10 million seed round for Overland AI was led by Point72 Ventures, with additional investments from Shasta Ventures, Ascend, Pioneer Square Labs, Voyager Capital, and Cubit Capital. The company was a finalist for Startup of the Year at the GeekWire Awards. Overland competes with other companies developing off-road autonomous technology, including Forterra, Polymath Robotics, and Potential Motors. The company’s technology, which can be integrated into any vehicle, has applications in military environments and complex terrains where the use of human drivers is risky.
Overland AI has won a contract with the U.S. Army and the Defense Innovation Unit to develop its OverDrive technology platform for the U.S. Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle. The company is also working with the U.S. Marine Corps and DARPA on developing autonomous driving technology for ground vehicles. Overland’s focus on using robot-controlled vehicles in high-risk situations to eliminate risk to human lives has garnered attention and investment from venture capital investors despite the overall slowdown in funding for autonomous vehicle startups.
Byron Boots, the CEO of Overland AI, is a prominent robotics researcher with expertise in machinelearning, and has a strong background in military-related applications of self-driving technology. The company’s technology utilizes advanced machine learning capabilities to navigate various conditions at different speeds without relying on GPS. Overland AI’s team brings together expertise from top self-driving companies, defense research programs, and academic institutions, positioning the company as a leader in developing autonomous driving technology for off-road vehicles in military and complex terrains.
