Best Auto Tech Companies in Palo Alto, United States
The 60 best Auto Tech companies in Palo Alto, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: ALSO.
Our analysis of 69 Auto Tech companies
$46.2b in tracked funding; 92% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.
Ranked: Best Auto Tech companies in Palo Alto
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founder | Tech stack | Web popularity | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ALSO 🦄 Manufacturer of electric bikes, quadricycles, helmets, gear, and accessories 76Funding top 17%Growth top 28%Market top 34%Tech top 37% All 6 signals ▾Fundingtop 17% Growthtop 28% Markettop 34% Techtop 37% Talentbottom 49% Globalbottom 33% Funding: Raised $505M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 1 yrs (3.0/yr) Growth: Web rank 5,000,000 → 1,000,000 YoY · Fresh capital in last 24 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 76/100 | $505M | 3 mo ago | — | Chris Yu Co-Founder | Cart FunctionalityShopifyApple iCloud Mail+30 | Top 1M | — | 1 award |
| 2 | Nauto 🦄 AI-powered fleet safety software using dual-facing cameras and predictive analytics | $215M | 36 mo ago | 139 139 → 136 (-2%) | Stefan Heck Co-Founder & CEO | WebflowSalesforcejQuery-pjax+25 | Top 5M | 108 patents Real-time driver monitoring and collision risk prediction for advanced driver-assistance systems | — |
| 3 | Jerry AI-powered car insurance comparison platform 72Moat top 26%Funding top 27%Talent top 28%Product top 32% All 13 signals ▾Moattop 26% Fundingtop 27% Talenttop 28% Producttop 32% Customerstop 32% Patentstop 35% Innovationtop 37% Markettop 43% Growthtop 45% AItop 45% Techbottom 45% Globalbottom 44% Newsbottom 22% Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 8/10 · IP moat: 197 patents Funding: Raised $213M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 8 yrs (0.4/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 72/100 | $213M | 35 mo ago | 194 | Lina Zhang Co-Founder | — | — | 197 patents Implantable biomedical electronics—hermetic feedthroughs, stable electrodes, biocompatible packaging, visual prostheses | — |
| 4 | Light Developer of a tech-enabled platform offering camera-enabled perception solution for autonomous vehicles | $186M | 95 mo ago | 157 | — | — | — | 105 patents Automotive camera vision and image processing for ADAS and driver assistance | — |
| 5 | Kodiak Robotics Developer of AI-powered ground autonomy solutions for trucking, defense, industrial 76Patents top 15%Innovation top 21%Tech top 22%Funding top 26% All 14 signals ▾Patentstop 15% Innovationtop 21% Techtop 22% Fundingtop 26% AItop 26% Moattop 26% Producttop 30% Talenttop 35% Newstop 38% Markettop 49% Fin. healthbottom 47% Growthbottom 46% Globalbottom 40% Partnersbottom 35% Patents: 198 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 194 filings since 2022 vs 4 in 2017-21 Innovation: 198 patents (top 11% of patent-holders) · 194 filings since 2022 vs 4 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 76/100 | $165M | 2 mo ago | 182 | Don Burnette Co-Founder & CEO | DrupalApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+35 | Top 5M | 198 patents Autonomous vehicle perception, mapping, planning, and control using lidar and occlusion handling | 1 partnership |
| 6 | Upstart AI-enabled online marketplace offering diversified loans to consumers and businesses | $129M | 87 mo ago | 1,497 1,497 → 1,927 (+29%) | Dave Girouard Founder & CEO | SkilljarCart FunctionalityApple iCloud Mail+34 | Top 50k | — | — |
| 7 | DeepMap Mapping solutions for autonomous vehicles | $92M | 92 mo ago | 91 | — | — | — | 171 patents HD map creation, storage, compression, and vehicle localization for autonomous driving | — |
| 8 | Phantom Auto AI-powered remote safety support for autonomous vehicles | $90M | 37 mo ago | 138 | Shai Magzimof Co-Founder & CEO | — | — | 61 patents Wireless teleoperation and safety systems for autonomous vehicles and smart warehouses | — |
| 9 | Apex.AI Developer of AI-enabled software stacks for self-driving vehicles | $88M | 16 mo ago | 119 | Dejan Pangercic Co-Founder & CTO | WixSentryBootstrap+20 | Top 5M | 63 patents Safety‑critical real‑time AI middleware for autonomous vehicle perception and control | 4 job openings |
| 10 | CloudCar In-car infotainment solutions | $58M | 110 mo ago | 1 | — | — | — | 62 patents Connected‑car telematics: cloud vehicle control, data sharing, and mobile service integration | — |
| 11 | Parallel Domain AI-enabled simulation software solutions | $44M | 43 mo ago | 22 22 → 52 (+136%) | Kevin McNamara Founder | VimeoMUIReact+21 | Top 10M | — | — |
| 12 | Lacuna Provider of mobility management software for cities | $34M | 60 mo ago | 63 | — | — | — | 4 patents Compactable molds and processes for lightweight concrete block production | — |
| 13 | Efficient Drivetrains Hybrid drivetrain manufacturer | $32M | 101 mo ago | 7 | — | — | — | 26 patents Hybrid EV control strategies, V2G inverter integration, and dual‑motor hybrid powertrain designs | — |
| 14 | Filld On demand fuel ordering platform | $29M | 92 mo ago | 15 | Christopher Aubuchon Co-Founder & CEO | — | — | 5 patents On-demand mobile fuel dispensing and delivery system technologies | — |
| 15 | Owl Cameras Provider of vehicle dashcam hardware and related support services | $29M | 94 mo ago | 35 | Andrew Hodge Co-Founder & CEO | Cart FunctionalityShopifyYouTube+22 | Top 5M | 30 patents Vehicle-mounted camera systems with video analytics and networked surveillance for automotive safety | — |
| 16 | VOOM Online usage-based motorcycle insurance platform for individuals | $22M | 57 mo ago | 39 | — | WebflowApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+24 | Top 5M | 41 patents Patents concentrated in health & consumer products | — |
| 17 | Autonomic Developer of IoT solutions for the automotive industry | $11M | 113 mo ago | 194 | — | — | — | 52 patents Patents concentrated in health & consumer products | — |
| 18 | Autonomic Developing automation technology for transport industry | $11M | 113 mo ago | 70 | Sundeep Madra ex-Co-Founder | — | — | 52 patents Real-time cloud vehicle telemetry and neurostimulator delivery systems | — |
| 19 | Autolane Developer of infrastructure for autonomous vehicle coordination, authentication, and access | $7M | 7 mo ago | — | Ben Seidl Co-Founder & CEO | WebflowGSAPSwiper+12 | Top 50M | — | — |
| 20 | PickTaxi Automated location-based taxi booking service via smartphones or web | $7M | 105 mo ago | — | Amie Gurd Co-Founder | — | — | — | — |
| 21 | Artisense Visual positioning for autonomy, robotics, automotive, and fleet management solutions | $5M | 98 mo ago | 20 | Daiu Ko CEO | Squarespace CommerceSquarespaceYouTube+12 | Top 50M | 5 patents Visual-inertial and stereo odometry for real-time 3D pose estimation in robotics/AR | — |
| 22 | Fleet Provider of a platform for managing employee commuter benefit programs | $5M | 22 mo ago | 7 | Shaurya Saluja Co-Founder & CEO | WebflowStripeAmazon Web Services+25 | Top 50M | 80 patents Vehicle interior/exterior modular components and safety marking systems | — |
| 23 | Pull Systems Web-based SaaS tools and APIs for electric vehicles | $5M | 39 mo ago | — | Henry Furman Founder + Chief Product Officer | — | — | — | — |
| 24 | Trace Machina Developer and provider of simulation infrastructure for the development of safety critical technologies in… | $5M | 22 mo ago | — | Nathan Bruer Co-Founder | Apache HTTP ServerLeadfeederGoogle Analytics+2 | Top 50M | — | — |
| 25 | Pied Parker Contactless parking solutions providing faster, easier, and safer entry/exit | $3M | 95 mo ago | 24 | Frank Sandoval Co-Founder & Head of Design | Apple iCloud MailGoogle WorkspaceGoogle Sign-in+18 | Top 5M | 78 patents Computer vision‑based parking detection, navigation, and secure access control systems | — |
| 26 | CARFIT Algorithm-based predictive maintenance of vehicles | $2M | 80 mo ago | 16 | — | — | — | 8 patents Fleet telematics for vehicle monitoring and predictive maintenance | — |
| 27 | Training Data Provider of validation training data for AI and ML models | $2M | 87 mo ago | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 28 | Xatori Software for electric vehicles | $400K | 186 mo ago | — | Forrest North Founder | — | — | — | — |
| 29 | Lectrium Provider of EV chargers | $150K | 27 mo ago | 9 | Peter Barba Co-Founder | Node.jsMUIReact+20 | Top 50M | — | — |
| 30 | Sensing Electromagnetic Plus Flexible multi-touch pressure sensor manufacturer | $136K | 154 mo ago | 5 | Silvano Furlan Co-Founder | — | — | — | — |
| 31 | Open Motors Developer of AI-enabled autonomous electric vehicle and electric battery swapping management solutions | $120K | 96 mo ago | 9 | Yuki Liu Co-Founder & COO | Cart FunctionalityWooCommerceWordPress+17 | Top 10M | — | — |
Top 12 Auto Tech companies in Palo Alto
#1
ALSO 🦄Series C · Palo Alto, California · founded 2025$505Mraised▾
Manufacturer of electric bikes, quadricycles, helmets, gear, and accessories. The company offers electric bikes with features like integrated lighting and modular top frames. It also provides quadricycles designed for commercial cargo and personal transportation. Helmets with built-in speakers and lighting are available, alongside compatible gear and accessories.
- Mar 2026Series C$200M
- Jul 2025Series B$200M
- Mar 2025Series B$105M
#2
Public · Palo Alto, California · founded 2018 · 182 employees$165Mraised▾
Developer of AI-powered ground autonomy solutions for trucking, defense, industrial. It develops integrated driverless technology for heavy trucks, combining advanced artificial intelligence, perception systems, and vehicle hardware. The technology combines artificial intelligence, modular hardware, and offboard services into an integrated platform. It focuses on creating solutions to transform transportation and enhance efficiency.
- May 2026Post IPO$100M
- Dec 2025Post IPO$499K
- Dec 2022Grant (prize money)$49.9M
- Oct 2022Conventional Debt$30M
#3
Series B · Palo Alto, California · founded 2017 · 119 employees$87.5Mraised▾
Apex.ai develops AI-enabled software stacks for self-driving vehicles. It offers products like Apex.OS which is an open-source framework for autonomous systems. It enables software developers to write safe & secure applications based on Robot Operating Systems, Apex. autonomy provides autonomous driving software that combines 3D perception, localization, planning, and control algorithms. and MARV. automotive offers a data management platform.
- Feb 2025Series B—
- Dec 2023Series B—
- May 2022Series B—
- Dec 2021Series B$56.5M
#4
Seed · Palo Alto, California · founded 2024$7.4Mraised▾
Developer of infrastructure for autonomous vehicle coordination, authentication, and access. The platform includes hardware installed at parking stalls to enable vehicle coordination. The software delivers real-time insights and intelligence for autonomous interactions. The platform supports autonomous vehicle pickups, deliveries, and rideshare services.
- Dec 2025Seed$7.4M
#5
Series C · Palo Alto, California · founded 2017 · 194 employees$213Mraised▾
AI-powered car insurance comparison platform. The platform offers information about loans, repair estimation, and more. Users can get quotes from multiple insurance service providers by providing the required details on the platform. The app is available for Android and iOS platforms.
- Aug 2023Conventional Debt—
- Aug 2023Series C$110M
- Aug 2021Series C$75M
- May 2021Series B$28M
#6
Nauto 🦄Series C · Palo Alto, California · founded 2015 · 139 employees$215Mraised▾
AI-powered fleet safety software using dual-facing cameras and predictive analytics. The platform anticipates driver behavior and alerts drivers to imminent risks. The platform offers real-time predictive collision alerts, driver behavior monitoring, and self-guided coaching to enhance road safety. It helps users reduce distracted and drowsy driving incidents, improve driver performance, and lower operational costs.
- Jun 2023Series C—
- Jul 2017Series B$159M
- Oct 2016Series A$9M
- Apr 2016Series A$12M
#7
Series B · Palo Alto, California · founded 2017 · 138 employees$90.5Mraised▾
AI-powered remote safety support for autonomous vehicles, The company offers an in-vehicle latency communication device with dedicated software for remote control and security and an API for real-time assistance and guidance. It claims to offer a teleoperation service to tackle edge cases while commuting in an autonomous vehicle such as high-risk road constructions, severe weather conditions, and more. The passengers can seek assistance from trained human operators in such cases who can safely navigate the vehicle while also communicating with the passenger and public safety officials.
- May 2023Series B$35M
- Jan 2022Series B$42M
- Apr 2019Series A$13.5M
#8
Seed · Palo Alto, California · founded 2019 · 7 employees$5Mraised▾
Provider of a platform for managing employee commuter benefit programs. The platform supports various commute modes, including transit, parking, bikes, and rideshares. It facilitates pre-tax accounts, per-ride subsidies, and universal allowances. The platform offers features such as automated payroll deductions, customizable programs, and employee notifications. It also provides tools for compliance tracking and centralized reporting.
- Aug 2024Seed$2.5M
#9
Seed · Palo Alto, California · founded 2023$4.7Mraised▾
Developer and provider of simulation infrastructure for the development of safety critical technologies in physical world AI. It enables engineers to build and test complex systems more efficiently and safely.
- Aug 2024Seed$4.7M
#10
Series B · Palo Alto, California · founded 2017 · 22 employees$44.3Mraised▾
AI-enabled simulation software solutions The company provides a 3D environment generation software offering configurable, detailed & scalable simulation environments for autonomous vehicle simulation. The solution enables users to plug their content into existing simulation solutions to generate an entirely new city or tweak details on a single city street corner. It offers various products like Batch offers datasets to train and test the models, Step offers existing simulators or data logs to fetch synthetic sensor data, and stream enables users to respond to actions in real-time.
- Nov 2022Series B$30M
- Dec 2020Series A$11M
- 2018Seed—
- Apr 2018Seed$2.9M
#11
Acqui-Hired · Palo Alto, California · founded 2013 · 157 employees$185.7Mraised▾
Developer of a tech-enabled platform offering a camera-enabled perception solution for autonomous vehicles. Its technology involves multiple microlenses attached to the device achieving high megapixels. It lets users capture low-light images, achieve true optical zoom, and capture high-resolution pictures.
- Jul 2018Series D$121M
- Jul 2016Series C$30M
- Jul 2015Series B$25M
- Jun 2014Series A$9.7M
#12
Public · Palo Alto, California · founded 2012 · 1497 employees$128.7Mraised▾
AI-enabled online marketplace offering diversified loans to consumers and businesses. It offers loans such as personal loans, credit card loans, car loans, debt consolidation loans, wedding loans, medical loans, small business loans, and more. It provides personalized loan rates based on personal credit assessments.
- Apr 2019Series D$50M
- Mar 2017Series D$32.5M
- Jul 2015Series C$35M
- Jan 2014Conventional Debt$2M
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Auto Tech coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
How research on Autonomous Vehicles is moving in the United States
A read on the academic research around Autonomous Vehicles — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 3,252 United States-affiliated papers.
- Carnegie Mellon University89
- Purdue University West Lafayette76
- University of California, Berkeley69
- Northeastern University64
- Stanford University55
- Computer vision12→111
- Human–computer interaction2→64
- Perception2→59
- Robustness (evolution)3→53
- Trajectory12→61
- Human–computer interaction3→65
- Transport engineering11→66
- Computer vision2→54
- Reinforcement learning3→46
- Automotive engineering5→48
- Humanities4→108
- Philosophy1→64
- Context (archaeology)1→54
- Computer security2→48
- Transport engineering4→30
Where autonomous vehicles is researched across United States
Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.
Who's filing autonomous vehicles patents in the United States
United States autonomous vehicles patent filing is accelerating — 19,294 filings from 4,355 assignees (2016–2025), led by Waymo, Baidu USA, GM Cruise Holdings; annual filings 885→1348.
- Waymo1688
- Baidu USA1034
- GM Cruise Holdings767
- FORD Global TECH589
- Qualcomm566
- Tusimple547
- UBER Technologies527
- UATC507
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.