Bedrock Robotics is a self-driving car technology startup founded by Waymo and Segment veterans, and has been running quietly for over a year. He is currently breaking cover with a $80 million funding round from investors Eclipse and 8VC.
Bedrock Robotics, the company said, will focus on developing autonomous driving kits that can be converted into construction and other workplace vehicles. The announcement reviews some of the TechCrunch reports for May. According to a blog post written by co-founder and CEO Boris Sofman, Bedrock “upgrades existing fleets with sensors, computing, and intelligence that understand project goals, adapt to changing conditions, and perform the work.”
Sofman previously led Waymo’s now closed autonomous truck program. However, he is probably best known as Anki Robotics co-founder and CEO, and in 2019 he closed the popular Cozmo Consumer Robot.
The company could not be reached for comment. TechCrunch updates this article with new details when Bedrock responds.
Bedrock is the latest company to pilot engineers skilled in robotics, autonomy and AI for off-road environments. Several self-driving car startups have emerged in recent years with the aim of applying autonomous driving systems to off-road environments such as construction, mining, industrial sites, and even defense.
Earlier this week, San Francisco-based startup Pronto developed an autonomous driving system designed for transport trucks and other off-road vehicles used in construction and mining sites, and acquired competitor SAFEAI. Other startups that play in a broad, fragmented sector of off-road autonomy include Kodiak Robotics, Polymas Robotics, Seattle-based Overland AI, New Brunswick, Canada-based possibilities, and more established companies like Forterra.
Bedrock said it focuses on construction sites and is testing in Arkansas, Arizona, Texas and California.
