Travis Kalanick, the former CEO and co-founder of Uber Technologies, is reportedly considering acquiring the US division of Pony AI, a mainland China-based autonomous driving company, several media outlets reported last week. According to The New York Times, Kalanick is working with investors to secure funding for the acquisition, with Uber potentially playing a role in facilitating the transaction. However, the discussions are still in preliminary stages. The financial details of the poten...

In a press release on June 5, Plus Automation Inc. (Plus), a Physical AI company specializing in AI-based virtual driver software for autonomous trucks, and Churchill Capital Corp IX, a special purpose acquisition company, announced a definitive business combination agreement. Once finalized, the merged entity will operate under the name PlusAI. Founded in Silicon Valley, California, US, in 2016, Plus focuses on developing virtual driver systems through AI models for scalable, adaptive a...

According to a press release on June 5, Qualcomm Inc. announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., has finalized the acquisition of Autotalks, a notable entity in the realm of direct vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication solutions. V2X technology is pivotal for improving road safety and enhancing transportation efficiency. The acquisition allows automakers and related sectors to access a comprehensive range of production-ready, automotive-qualified global V2X solutions ...

In a bid to advance its transformation into a mobility company, Toyota Group announced a planned tender offer for the shares of Toyota Industries Corp., involving Toyota Motor Corp., Aisin Corp., DENSO Corp. and Toyota Tsusho Corp. These transactions aim to privatize Toyota Industries. A new holding company will be created, with Toyota Fudosan investing approximately ¥180 billion (about $1.26 billion) and Akio Toyoda committing ¥1 billion. Toyota Motor plans to invest about ¥700 billion in...

As reported in a press release on Feb. 4, General Motors (GM) has successfully completed its acquisition of GM Cruise Holdings LLC, making Cruise a wholly-owned subsidiary of GM, following the approval of GM's merger proposal by the Cruise board of directors. This acquisition positions Cruise to work closely with GM on the development of autonomous vehicle technology and advanced driver assistance systems for personal vehicles. GM plans to incorporate Cruise's technology into its Super Cruise...

Koito Manufacturing has completed the acquisition of US-based Lidar specialist Cepton. The acquisition, finalized on Jan. 7, transforms Cepton into a private, indirect subsidiary of Koito, with its headquarters remaining in San Jose, California. Following the acquisition, Cepton's shares were delisted from the Nasdaq, with each share of Cepton common stock being converted to $3.17 in cash, marking a significant milestone in the journey of both companies toward reshaping the landscape of automoti...

As reported in a press release on Oct. 14, HL Robotics, a subsidiary of HL Holdings, has signed an agreement to acquire Stanley Robotics, known for being the first company globally to commercialize outdoor valet parking robots. The acquisition, anticipated to be finalized by the end of 2024 with the necessary regulatory approvals, positions HL Robotics to dominate a market estimated to be worth $6.7 billion. The strategic acquisition underscores HL Robotics' ambition to lead in the global par...

As reported in a press release on Sept. 18, Oxa has announced the acquisition of StreetDrone, a UK-based brand focusing on the development and deployment of autonomous technology for industrial logistics. The acquisition will help Oxa with the movement and management of goods on private land, including ports, logistics hubs, retail fulfillment centers and airports. StreetDrone provides autonomous industrial solutions for operators, retailers and original equipment manufacturers. It has exp...

As reported in a press release on July 8, Seeing Machines has recently acquired the Berlin-based company Asaphus, a move announced alongside a strategic collaboration with Valeo, a prominent figure in the automotive industry. The partnership aims to fortify their stance in the driver and occupant monitoring systems market. As part of the agreement, Valeo will transfer its driver monitoring perception software activity, stemming from its acquisition of Asaphus, to Seeing Machines. This is intende...

Rheinmetall AG, a leading German supplier of automotive components and technologies, has acquired the Dutch startup REEQ, thereby expanding its vehicle portfolio to include innovative light hybrid vehicles, the company announced on March 18. “At the beginning of March 2024, the technology group's Dutch subsidiary Rheinmetall Defence Nederland B.V., which is part of the Vehicle Systems Division, acquired 100% of the shares in the Dutch start-up REEQ,” the company said, adding that the stra...

According to a press release on March 4, Vector has acquired a majority stake in Eyyes GmbH, an Austrian company specializing in AI and camera-sensor technology. Eyyes employs 28 people in Austria and Germany, and is engaged in the field of driver assistance functions and traffic perception with AI based on camera sensors. The company offers warning systems for front collision, approach, reversing, rear-end and turn-off warning as assistance systems, and its products are used in the rail sect...

Veoneer announced that the American Industrial Partners Capital Fund VII (AIP Fund VII) has completed the acquisition of the company’s Restraint Control Systems business from SSW Partners LP, in a press release dated March 1. According to the press release, nearly one in every four cars over the past year was equipped with Veoneer's Restraint Control System products, offering protection to vehicle occupants in the event of a traffic accident. The transaction completes Veoneer’s ...

Jabil has closed the transaction to divest its Mobility business to BYD Electronic (International) Co., it said in a press release dated Dec. 29, 2023. The consideration is $2.2 billion in cash. The deal was first announced in Sept. 26, 2023. “We are pleased to successfully close this transformational deal and I am confident that this is the right step forward for Jabil. The net proceeds will enable us to enhance our shareholder-centric capital framework, including incremental share buyback...

Toyota Motor and two affiliated companies plan to sell approximately 10% of their shares in Denso, an auto-parts supplier, worth about ¥700 billion (about $4.7 billion) by the end of November, according to a Nikkei Asia report on Nov. 29. The move aims to reduce cross-shareholding and free up funds for electric vehicle investments. Toyota Motor currently holds about 24% of Denso's total shares, while Toyota Industries owns 9% and Aisin holds 2%. The Japanese automaker plans to lower its hold...

Indie Semiconductor has completed the acquisition of Swiss photonics company Exalos, it said in a press release on September 18. Indie paid about $45 million to Exalos shareholders and could pay an additional $20 million if certain revenue-based performance targets are exceeded over a 24-month, post-closing period. “[Exalos'] differentiated solutions immediately expand [Indie’s] [advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS] and User Experience product and technology offering to our g...

Kongsberg Automotive AS (KA) has signed an agreement to acquire 20% of the shares in Chassis Autonomy SBA AB (Chassis Autonomy) via a directed rights issue. The agreement further includes call options to acquire up to 100% of the total outstanding shares within 2027, according to a press release July 11. Additionally, KA has entered an exclusive partnership collaboration with Chassis Autonomy to support the continued growth of the company and unlock its market potential. Chassis Autonomy spec...

According to a press release dated June 19, Kongsberg Automotive (KA) said that it has entered into a nonbinding agreement with Chassis Autonomy, to acquire a 20% equity stake in the company combined with call options to acquire up to 100% of the shares (proposed transaction). Chassis Autonomy specializes in software design and hardware development in steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems for use in highly automated (Level 3) and fully autonomous (Level 4 and Level 5) vehicles. KA brin...

According to a press release dated June 1, Veoneer has announced the completion of the sale of its Active Safety business to Magna, a mobility-technology company and one of the largest suppliers in the auto industry. The transaction was first announced Dec. 20, 2022. "Today is a great day for all stakeholders of Veoneer's Active Safety business. The combination with Magna will create a leading global supplier for [advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS] and secure a compelling long-term ...

Applied Intuition (Applied) and Embark Technology (Embark) announced that the companies have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Under the agreement, Applied will acquire Embark in an all-cash transaction with an equity value of approximately $71 million, according to a press release May 25. Founded in 2016, Embark has built an autonomous-software stack that uses machine-learning methodologies for perception while relying on a safety-redundant compute system. Embark also develope...

Full-stack edge artificial intelligence (AI) company Kneron announced that it has acquired OTUS, a subsidiary of VIVOTEK (a Delta Group company). OTUS is a camera and imaging solutions provider specializing in applications for automotive, virtual reality and other panoramic scenarios. Over the past two years, the company has worked closely with Kneron to jointly commercialize several automotive applications. OTUS provides advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and driver monitori...

dSPACE is set to acquire DynaFusion and take charge of their distribution network, it said in a press release on March 22. Following the acquisition, the German company will be directly represented in India by a new sales company under the name dSPACE India Solutions Pvt. Ltd. “To this end, we will significantly invest in the local team’s size and expertise. We are very glad to welcome the employees of DynaFusion who are joining dSPACE India. This enables us to provide a smooth transition...

Applied Intuition, a simulation and software provider for autonomous vehicle development, has acquired SceneBox, a data management and operations platform, according to a press release on March 21. The core team of Caliber Data Labs, Inc., the creator of SceneBox, will join the Applied team. DLA Piper LLP (US) served as legal counsel to Applied Intuition. Fasken served as legal counsel to Caliber Data Labs. Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, said, “When we learned of Yas...

According to a press release on 13 February 2023, Ouster and Velodyne has announced the successful completion of their merger of equals, effective 10 February 2023. The combined company will keep the name Ouster and continue to trade on New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ‘OUST’. Key strengths of the combined company: Wide product portfolio including Ouster OS and DF series sensors, Velodyne Lidar sensors, and Ouster Gemini and Bluecity software Expanded partner ecosystem and...

According to a report published by Reuters on 31 December 2022, Volvo Car has acquired full ownership of its autonomous driving (AD) software development subsidiary Zenseact. Zenseact became a wholly owned subsidiary of Volvo Cars when the Swedish manufacturer purchased 13.5% of Zenseact's shares from ECARX. According to Volvo Cars, Zenseact will stay in business and continue to run independently. The continuing partnership conversations between Zenseact and ECARX will proceed as scheduled, a...

Aptiv has completed the acquisition of Wind River, it said in a press release on 23 December. The transaction is valued at USD3.5 billion, instead of the initial purchase price of USD4.3 billion agreed to in January 2022. “The automotive industry in particular continues to be transformed by the accelerated shift to software-defined vehicles. Empowering our customers to capitalize on this transition requires not only a next-generation hardware architecture, but also a cloud-native software a...

Stellantis has announced that it has finalized the acquisition of aiMotive, a developer of advanced artificial intelligence and autonomous driving software, according to Stellantis’s press release on 22 December 2022.  “The acquisition of aiMotive will accelerate our journey to become a sustainable mobility tech company and deliver our Dare Forward 2030 goals,” said Yves Bonnefont, Stellantis Chief Software Officer. “Thanks to aiMotive’s world-class expertise, we will enhance o...

The automotive technology company Veoneer has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Magna International to acquire Veoneer's Active Safety business from SSW Partners, a New York based investment partnership for USD1.525 billion in cash, subject to working capital and other customary purchase price adjustments, according to a press release on 20 December 2022. Veoneer's expertise in active safety and product portfolio, combined with Magna's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (AD...

Aptiv has completed the acquisition of an 85% equity stake in Intercable Automotive Solutions from Intercable S.r.l, according to a press release on 1 December 2022. As an industry leader in high-voltage power distribution and interconnect technology, Intercable Automotive Solutions will enhance Aptiv's position as a global leader in vehicle architecture systems. The transaction is valued at EUR595 million, subject to customary post-closing adjustments, and is expected to be accretive to earn...

Ouster and Velodyne announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction, according to a press release by Velodyne Lidar on 7 November 2022. The proposed merger is expected to drive significant value creation and result in a strong financial position through product offerings, increased operational efficiencies, ​​and a complementary customer base in fast-growing end-markets. The combined company has an intellectual property portfolio of 173 grant...

Volkswagen and Ford backed autonomous technology joint venture ‘Argo AI’ is shutting down as the automakers shift their strategies for self-driving cars, according to a report published by Bloomberg on 26 October 2022. Ford concluded that rather than Argo's aim of driving with little human interaction, it needed to invest in driver-assistance technology that was more achievable in the short term. “Profitable, fully autonomous vehicles at scale are a long way off and we won’t necess...

Velodyne Lidar has announced in a press release on 4 October 2022, the comapny has acquired Bluecity, a Montreal-based artificial intelligence (AI) software company whose next-generation, lidar-based solutions solve safety, traffic, and infrastructure issues. The company said that all-stock purchase highlights Velodyne's dedication to helping customers succeed by offering AI-driven autonomous vision solutions. The addition of Bluecity is expected to be immaterial to operating expenses and cas...

KPIT Technologies has announced the acquisition of Technica Engineering, it said in a press release on 21 September. The deal is expected to close by the end of October 2022, following which Technica Engineering will be fully owned by KPIT Technologies. The deal will be EPS accretive. “Mobility industry is using software to drive innovation and is creating a post-vehicle sale business model driven by delivering services to end consumers. We are constantly looking for possibilities to help a...

HARMAN International has announced the acquisition of CAARESYS, an Israel-based company founded in 2017 that develops vehicle passenger monitoring systems powered by contactless, low-emission radar, according to a press announcement by HARMAN on 6 September 2022. Building on the company's robust consumer-focused advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) and Digital Cockpit solutions, HARMAN's automotive product portfolio will be strengthened by the in-cabin radar sensor and algorithm solution ...

According to a report published by Bloomberg on 2 September 2022, the CEO of Aurora Innovation has recently outlined a range of options for the self-driving business to address deteriorating market conditions and partners pushing back timelines, including a potential sale to Apple or Microsoft. In a memo titled "board discussion pre-read", Chris Urmson, cofounder of Aurora Innovations discussed cost savings and suggested options including taking the business private, spinning o...

Renesas Electronics has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Steradian Semiconductors Private Limited, a fabless semiconductor company based in Bengaluru, India, that provides 4D imaging radar solutions, in an all-cash transaction, according to a press release on 31 August 2022. Automotive sensor fusion is becoming more and more popular as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) technology advances in the automotive industry. This technology combines data fro...

Hyundai Motor is exploring raising its share in or fully acquiring the South Korea based autonomous mobility platform 42dot Inc. This is the latest indication of Hyundai Motor's growing interest in the rapidly expanding industry, according to a report published by TechCrunch on 1 August 2022. A 42dot representative confirmed that the company is in discussions with Hyundai Motor but cautioned that parameters, such as investment size and deal pricing, hadn't yet been finalized. Hyundai Motor...

Michelin has acquired Roadbotics for an undisclosed amount, it said in a press release on 11 July. Roadbotics is a US-based company specialized in road infrastructure images analysis. "This new acquisition is in line with Michelin’s growth strategy around tires. With the acquisition of RoadBotics, Michelin strengthens its expertise in artificial intelligence supporting a smarter and safer mobility. Combining its unique knowledge of tire/vehicle uses, driving behavior analysis and Roadbotics...

According to a press release on 5 July, The Volkswagen Group has announced that the Europcar acquisition has been completed. Volkswagen's goal is to use technology and analytics to drive Europcar Mobility Group's transformation into a leader in sustainable mobility. Through its NEW AUTO strategy, the firm will maintain its present alliances while also becoming a cornerstone of Volkswagen's future mobility platform. Europcar Mobility Group's solution will meet a wide range of customers' mobili...

Renesas Electronics Corporation has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Reality Analytics, Inc. (Reality AI), in an all-cash transaction, according to a press release published Renesas on 9 June.   Hidetoshi Shibata, president and CEO of Renesas, said, “The importance and demand of data at the endpoint is increasing at an unprecedented scale. The acquisition of AI technology is an important milestone to address our customers’ emerging requirements for endp...

ECARX, a global mobility tech company has entered into a merger agreement with COVA Acquisition to accelerate the development of next-generation automotive intelligence, according to a press release on 26 May 2022. The closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2022. Values of transactions ECARX has a pro forma equity value of USD3.82 billion, or a pre-money equity value of USD3.4 billion. COVA Acquisition Corp. has USD300 million in cash in trust, with USD45 mil...

Volkswagen’s software unit CARIAD is set to acquire the automotive division of Intenta, it said in a press release on 8 April. The unit will take in more than 100 employees working on sensor data fusion. The acquisition is expected to be completed toward the end of 2022. “Our goal is to develop key software components ourselves and increase the depth of value added in key development areas. That's why we are expanding our expertise along the entire tech stack for automated driving. O...

Qualcomm Technologies has completed the acquisition of Arriver from US-based investment partnership SSW Partners, according to Qualcomm’s official press release on 4 April 2022. The company said that the acquisition would enhance Qualcomm Technologies’ ability to deliver open, fully integrated, and competitive advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) solutions to automakers and tier-1 suppliers at scale. Additionally, Veoneer and Qualcomm Technologies have entered into a new agreement tha...

ECARX is looking to make a public listing in the US via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger, PanDaily reported on 2 March, citing a report by Bloomberg. The mainland Chinese startup could be reportedly valued at about USD4 billion. Significance: ECARX is an automotive intelligence technology company founded in 2016 by Li Shufu and Shen Ziyu. The company develops advanced open intelligent connected operating systems (OS) that enable automotive companies to collaborate to c...

The US-based investment partnership SSW Partners has concluded the acquisition of automotive parts supplier Veoneer for USD37 per share in an all-cash transaction of USD4.6 billion worth of equity, according to a press release on 1 April 2022. Veoneer's Arriver company is expected to be sold to Qualcomm, while Veoneer's tier-1 supplier and integrator businesses will be retained by SSW Partners. The sale of the Arriver business by Qualcomm and SSW Partners is expected to close on 4 April ...

Bridgestone has made a minority investment in May Mobility, it said in a press release on 21 March. Through the partnership Bridgestone will integrate its digital and predictive tire-centric technologies into May Mobility autonomous vehicles for enhancing intelligence and safety. The financial details were not disclosed. “May Mobility is at the forefront of AV innovation and development, and we are excited to partner with the company through our broad service network of company-owned retail...

The US-based Luminar Technologies is acquiring high-performance laser manufacturer Freedom Photonics, according to an official press release on 21 March 2022. With this acquisition, Luminar now has access to next-generation chip-scale laser technology, intellectual property, and production capabilities. “Component-level innovation and integration is critical to our performance, cost and continued automotive technology leadership. Bringing Freedom Photonics into Luminar enables a new level o...

Applied Intuition has announced the acquisition of Mechanical Simulation Corporation, a company press release on 14 March read. Mechanical Simulation provides vehicle dynamics simulation software and is known for its flagship product, CarSim. The companies did not disclose the deal consideration. “CarSim is a pillar in the dynamics community. Autonomous vehicle engineers know that accurate and realistic vehicle dynamics models are critical to creating simulations that are reflective of the ...

Israeli nanotechnology and electrical systems company Gauzy acquires Vision Systems following a successful USD60 million Series D investment round, according to a press release published by Gauzy on 8 February. The new merger will enable Gauzy to leverage on Vision Systems’ cockpit shading solutions and increase the company’s customer base. Eyal Peso, CEO of Gauzy, said, “As leaders in material science, Gauzy is committed to innovation that matters. A core motivation for this strategic ...

Bosch has announced the acquisition of Atlatec GmbH, it said in a press release on 24 February. Atlatec will become part of the Bosch Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division as an independently operated company. The consideration for the deal was not disclosed. “The planned acquisition of Atlatec further expands our expertise in the field of high-resolution digital maps and makes us even more diversified. It makes Bosch the only company that can offer its customers all the necessary build...

Volkswagen is reportedly in talks with mainland Chinese technology company Huawei to acquire its autonomous driving unit for billions of euros, Reuters reported on 17 February, citing Manager Magazin. According to the report, company executives have been negotiating the deal for several months now. A Volkswagen spokesperson declined to comment to Reuters. Significance: In October last year, Chinese media source 36Kr reported that Huawei and Volkswagen were planning on forming a joint ...

Aptiv has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Wind River from TPG Capital for USD4.3 billion, a company press release dated 11 January read. Aptiv said it would finance the deal, which is expected to close mid-2022, through a combination of cash and debt. The acquisition will enable Aptiv expand its software mobility business by leveraging Wind River’s intelligent systems software platform and other assets. “With Aptiv and Wind River’s synergistic technologies and decades of exp...

According to a Business Wire press release dated 14 December, Continental has joined as a strategic investor in Apex.AI, a German-US software specialist. In doing so, the technology company emphasizes the critical importance of intelligent software applications for future vehicle generations. Continental and Apex.AI have already been working together on the industrialization of an innovative vehicle operating system since 2020. With the completion of the minority stake, the two companies are ste...

According to an official press release dated 2 December, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit to prevent U.S. chip supplier Nvidia Corp. from acquiring UK chip design provider Arm Ltd. for USD40 billion. Semiconductor chips power the computers and technologies that are so important to our modern economy and society. The proposed vertical deal would give one of the largest chip companies control over the computing technology and designs that rival firms use to develop competing chips...

According to a press release published on Business Wire on 1 December, Smart Eye has completed its acquisition of iMotions, developer of the world's leading software platform for studying human behavior, in accordance with the agreement announced on 26 October 2021. Under the terms of the agreement, iMotions will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Smart Eye Group and will continue to be run independently by CEO Peter Hartzbech. Smart Eye will begin to integrate iMotions' Behavioral Research ...

Ambarella, an AI vision company has announced the completion of its previously announced transaction to acquire US based radar developer Oculii, according to an official press release on 8 November 2022. Oculii has become a completely owned subsidiary of Ambarella as a result of the transaction. Ambarella will acquire all outstanding capital stock of Oculii for USD307.5 million. Steven Hong, co-founder and CEO of Oculii, will join Ambarella as Vice President and General Manager of Radar Technolo...

According to an official press release dated 4 November, ZF announced the acquisition of Bestmile's technology, which represents a significant step toward the commercial vehicle industry's first Mobility Orchestration Platform. This platform, which advances ZF's "Next Generation Mobility" strategy, will assist operators in realizing their ambitions for Transportation-as-a-Service (TaaS) and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) for all types of mobility applications and vehicles. ZF's Orchestration pl...

American chemicals giant DuPont Inc. announced via press release on 2 November that it had agreed to acquire Arizona-based specialty engineered materials company Rogers Corporation for USD5.2 billion. According to the release, the all-cash transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Rogers shareholders and receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. Under terms of the deal, Rogers shareholders are expected...

According to a press release published on Businesswire on 25 October, indie Semiconductor has executed a definitive agreement with Analog Devices, Inc. to acquire Symeo GmbH, ADI's Munich-based radar division comprised of approximately 35 team members specializing in radar hardware and software development for emerging safety system applications. The industry-leading RF and sensor technology from Symeo enables real-time position detection and distance measurement for high precision radar solutio...

According to a press release published on Businesswire on 26 October, Smart Eye and iMotions announced an agreement in which Smart Eye will acquire iMotions for USD46.6 million. Smart Eye will combine its advanced eye tracking and emotion artificial intelligence (AI) technologies with iMotions' innovative, multi-sensor data collection and analytics software to form the first human behavioral research and analysis powerhouse. They will work together to provide a comprehensive, multi-modal...

According to a press release published on PR Newswire on 25 October, Ouster announced that it had completed the acquisition of Sense Photonics ("Sense") and formally established Ouster Automotive, a new functional division of the Company focused on driving mass-market adoption of digital lidar in consumer and commercial vehicles. Following closing adjustments, Ouster acquired 100% of Sense and all of its property for approximately 10 million shares of Ouster common stock, inclusive of 0.8 millio...

Arbe Robotics has completed the business combination agreement with Industrial Tech Acquisition, it said in a press release on 6 October. ITAC stockholders have approved the merger completion between the two companies. The merged company will be called Arbe Robotics post transaction. Through the business combination Arbe will receive approximately USD18 million of cash and USD118 million in gross proceeds following ITAC’s public stockholders of their stock redemptions with an additional USD...

According to a press release published on the GlobeNewswire on 5 September, Otonomo Technologies has acquired Neura, Inc. (Neura), a leader in AI-powered Mobility Intelligence. Otonomo purchased all of Neura's outstanding equity interests. Otonomo anticipates that this acquisition will accelerate Otonomo's growth and contribute positively to Otonomo's revenue in the future. Otonomo's newly expanded mobility intelligence platform will make use of Neura's advanced analytics, which are powered b...

According to a press release published on Business Wire on 5 October, Ouster announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Sense Photonics (“Sense”), which has developed a digital solid-state lidar sensor for automotive series production. Following the completion of the strategic all-stock acquisition, Ouster intends to establish Ouster Automotive, a new functional division focused on driving mass-market adoption of digital lidar in consumer and commercial vehicles, ceme...

According to an official press release dated 30 September, ASM PACIFIC TECHNOLOGY LIMITED and Mycronic Group signed a definitive agreement under which ASMPT will acquire Mycronic's subsidiary Automation Engineering, Inc. ('AEi') in an all-cash transaction. The transaction has been approved by each company's Board of Directors, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. CK Lim, SVP and Business Unit CEO (IC/Discrete & CIS), ASMPT said: “The agreement to acquire AEI...

Magna International Inc. today announced that the board of directors of Veoneer, Inc. has determined that the previously announced proposal by Qualcomm Incorporated to acquire Veoneer for USD37 per share is a superior proposal under the terms of the previously announced merger agreement between Magna and Veoneer, and that Magna has waived the four-day matching period to make a counterproposal. Accordingly, Veoneer has terminated its merger agreement with Magna and entered into a merger agreement...

Valens Semiconductor, a provider of high-speed connectivity solutions for the audio-video and automotive markets, and PTK Acquisition, a special-purpose acquisition company, announced the completion of their previously announced business combination in a press release on PR Newswire on 29 September. The combined company will be known as Valens, and its common stock and public warrants are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on 30 September 2021, under the tick...

According to an official press release dated 21 September, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Kendrion N.V., a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of high-quality electromagnetic systems and components for industrial and automotive applications, has acquired 3T, a software and electronics development company based in the Netherlands. In the transaction, Kendrion has acquired 100% of 3T’s shares for an undisclosed amount, which Kendrion will finance from existing resources. The acqui...

Woven Planet, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, announced the acquisition of Renovo Motors, Inc. (“Renovo”), a pioneering Silicon Valley-based automotive operating system developer, in an official press release dated 28 September. Renovo creates specialized software that will help Woven Planet achieve its goal of creating the most programmable vehicles on the planet with Arene and realizing the broader vision of "Mobility to Love, Safety to Live." “The acquisition of Renovo supp...

According to a press release on business standard dated 22 September, the board of directors of auto industry-focused technology firm KPIT Technologies has approved the acquisition of a 25% stake in Germany-based Future Mobility Solutions GmbH (FMS), with the remaining stake to be acquired over the next three years. In an exchange filing, the company stated that it expects the first tranche of a 25% stake in Future Mobility to be completed in September 2021, with a 100% acquisition expected i...

Swedish automotive parts manufacturer announced via press release on 9 September that it had filed a definitive proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission ahead of its October stockholder meeting in which Veoneer stockholders are expected to consider the announced merger agreement with Magna International Inc. According to the press release, Veoneer also noted that it was continuing to engage in discussions with Qualcomm Incorporated in response to Qualcomm’s competing prop...

Gentex announced the acquisition of Guardian Optical Technologies, an Israeli startup that pioneered a unique, multimodal sensor technology designed to provide a comprehensive suite of driver- and cabin-monitoring solutions for the automotive industry, in a press release published on GlobeNewswire on 6 September. “Guardian utilizes artificial intelligence and computer vision algorithms to create comprehensive, in-cabin sensing functionality for today’s vehicles and the autonomous age,” ...

Ansys announced on 31 August that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Zemax, LLC, a leader in high-performance optical imaging system simulation. When completed, the acquisition will broaden Ansys' solution offering by providing users with comprehensive, end-to-end solutions for simulating next-generation optical, and photonics products. These breakthroughs could drive breakthroughs in healthcare, autonomy, consumer electronics, and the industrial internet of things (IoT), rang...

On 26 August, NVIDIA completed its acquisition of DeepMap, a startup dedicated to creating high-definition maps for autonomous vehicles, the company announced on its website. The company had announced the acquisition on 10 June. Significance: By integrating DeepMap’s tech, NVIDIA’s autonomous stack should have greater precision, giving the vehicle enhanced abilities to locate itself on the road. Furthermore, DeepMap, founded by former Google, Apple, and Baidu employees James Wu and M...

According to a press release published on TechCrunch on 25 August, Xiaomi Corp. announced the acquisition of autonomous driving technology startup Deepmotion for approximately USD77.4 million, completing a deal that will help it further its ambitions of entering the rapidly expanding field. The acquisition was announced after the company reported better-than-expected second-quarter results, in which a recovery in key markets such as India helped it overtake Apple Inc. to become the world's se...

According to a Bloomberg press release dated August 20, Ouster Inc., a lidar startup that went public after merging with a blank-check firm, is in advanced talks to acquire rival Sense Photonics. It was not possible to learn the transaction value right away. An Ouster representative declined to comment and a Sense representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Significance: Sense, based in San Francisco and led by CEO Shauna McIntyre, claims that its platform delive...

According to press release on The Economics Times dated 20 August, NVIDIA Corp's planned USD40 billion acquisition of British chip designer ARM is likely to be subject to a lengthy investigation after a UK regulator determined the deal would hit competition and weaken rivals. "We're concerned that NVIDIA controlling ARM could create real problems for NVIDIA's rivals by limiting their access to key technologies, and ultimately stifling innovation across a number of important and growing m...

According to an official press release dated 18 August 18, Woven Planet Holdings, a Toyota Motor subsidiary, has acquired CARMERA, a US-based spatial artificial intelligence (AI) company that specializes in developing scalable, next-generation mapping solutions for automated mobility, a proposed transaction previously announced in July 2021. This is Woven Planet's second acquisition after acquiring Level 5, Lyft Inc.'s automated driving division. Woven Planet is a group focused on mobility in...

AEye, the global leader in adaptive, high-performance lidar solutions, announced today the completion of its business combination (the “Business Combination”) with CF Finance Acquisition Corp. III , a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald. The combined company will keep the AEye, Inc. name and is expected to begin trading on Nasdaq on August 18, 2021 under the ticker symbol “LIDR.” The Business Combination was approved by CF III stockholders at a special...

According to an official press release dated 8 August, Veoneer announced that the company's board of directors has determined that Qualcomm's proposal to acquire Veoneer (the "Qualcomm Proposal") would reasonably be expected to result in a "Superior Proposal," as defined in Veoneer's merger agreement with Magna (the "Merger Agreement"). As a result of the Board's decision, Veoneer may, and intends to, engage in discussions with Qualcomm based on the Qualcomm Proposal under the terms of the Me...

Tobii, the world leader in eye tracking, announced on 5 August that it has signed an agreement to acquire Phasya, an innovative provider of software for monitoring physiological and cognitive states that influence human behavior. "Tobii and Phasya are a perfect strategic fit. By combining two strong teams with complementary expertise, products, and customer relationships, we will unlock significant synergies." said Henrik Eskilsson, CEO of Tobii. "We welcome the Phasya team to the Tobii ...

According to an official press release dated 5 August, chipmaker Qualcomm had offered to buy Swedish auto parts maker Veoneer for USD4.6 billion, an 18.4% premium over a bid accepted by Veoneer's board in July by Canada's Magna International. "As the automotive industry continues to transform, it is becoming increasingly important for automakers to have a partner who develops horizontal platforms that drive innovation and enable competition," said Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon. However, Veoneer...

Continental, a technology company, is investing in Leipzig-based startup Kopernikus Automotive with a minority stake, according to an official press release dated 3 August. The two companies have agreed not to reveal the amount of their investment. Kopernikus, a specialist in autonomous driving technologies, develops solutions for infrastructure-based vehicle maneuvering, according to a press release. The technology is based on sensors that are permanently installed in the infrastructure as w...

According to an official press release dated 23 July, Magna and Veoneer announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement in which Magna will acquire Veoneer, a leader in automotive safety technology. According to the terms of the agreement, Magna will pay USD31.25 per share in cash for all of Veoneer's issued and outstanding shares, for a total value of USD3.8 billion and an enterprise value of USD3.3 billion as of 31 March 2021, inclusive of Veoneer's cash, net of debt and other debt-l...

According to a press release published on PR Newswire on 21 July, Mando shareholders approved a plan to spin off its autonomous driving and Mobility businesses as a wholly owned subsidiary The special resolution, which was approved with an approval rate of 85.0% of the total number of stocks attended (66.9%), was passed with strong support from the majority of its shareholders, who voted in favor of the resolution in accordance with the recommendations of major domestic and global investor ad...

According to a press release published on CNBC on 21 July, Chinese autonomous vehicle startup WeRide acquired self-driving autonomous trucking firm MoonX.AI, as it looks to commercialize self-driving technology. The acquisition and expansion also comes on the back of a funding round in May that valued WeRide at USD3.3 billion. Qingxiong Yang, founder and CEO of MoonX.AI, will become VP of WeRide and dean of the firm’s research institute. More than 50 engineers from MoonX.AI w...

Woven Planet Holdings, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, announced the completion of the acquisition of Level 5, the self-driving division of Lyft, Inc. (“Lyft”), a proposed transaction previously announced in April 2021, in an official press release dated 20 July. This is Woven Planet's first acquisition. The company is focused on mobility innovations and investments in robotics, smart cities, and other areas. Woven Planet will gain technology, talent, and an international footpr...

According to a Reuters press release dated 19 July, Luminar Technologies announced the acquisition of Wilmington, Massachusetts-based OptoGration Inc., a chipmaker that manufactures a key component of its sensor. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter. Luminar did not disclose the terms of the transaction but stated that it would have no material impact on the company's cash position or share count. Significance: Luminar has been working with OptoGration for the p...

Self-driving technology startup, Aurora, has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Reinvent Technology Partners Y, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). According to a press release issued by Aurora on 15 July, the company stated that upon closing of the proposed transaction, the combined company will be named Aurora Innovation, Inc. and be publicly traded, with its common stock expected to be listed on Nasdaq with the ticker symbol AUR. Investors and Aurora pa...

Woven Planet Holdings, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, announced the acquisition of CARMERA, a US-based spatial artificial intelligence (AI) company that specializes in bringing next-generation road intelligence to automated mobility at scale, in an official press release dated 14 July. This is Woven Planet's second major deal in North America, following the announcement in April 2021 that it would acquire Level 5, Lyft's self-driving division. CARMERA will become a subsidiary of Wo...

Hyundai Motor Group is in talks with South Korean chip companies to reduce its reliance on foreign supplies in the midst of a global shortage that has halted assembly lines at automakers worldwide, four sources as per Reuters press release on 16 June.  “On top of facing high entry barriers to the auto chip market, long and strict qualification processes make it more difficult for smaller chip companies to design auto chips … it would take four to five years to supply auto chips,...

According to an official press release dated 21 June, Hyundai Motor Group, Boston Dynamics, and SoftBank Group Corp. announced the completion of the Group's acquisition of a controlling interest in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank, subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. The transaction valued the mobile robot company at USD1.1 billion. Additional financial information was not provided. The Group takes another big step toward its strategic transformation into a Smart Mobili...

China Automotive Systems (CAAS), through its unit Hubei Henglong Automotive Systems Group, has acquired a 40% interest in the issued share capital of Sentient AB, it said in a press release on 10 June. According to the transaction, Jingzhou WiseDawn Electric Car will transfer and assign its Sentient shares to Henglong for total consideration of EUR20 million (USD24 million) in three tranches of cash payments. Sentient is a Swedish automotive technology company specializing in software developmen...

NVIDIA announced the acquisition of DeepMap, a startup dedicated to creating high-definition maps for autonomous vehicles, in a press release dated 10 June. Startup company's said its mapping IP will help Nvidia’s autonomous vehicle technology sector, Nvidia Drive. “The acquisition is an endorsement of DeepMap’s unique vision, technology and people,” said Ali Kani, VP and general manager of Automotive at NVIDIA. “DeepMap is expected to extend our mapping products, help us scale...

According to a press release on 8 June, Synopsys announced the acquisition of Code Dx based in New York that developed a Code Dx Enterprise application security tool. Code Dx automates many of the most work-intensive software safety processes, including testing orchestration, correlating the safety results from a range of testing techniques (AppSec), triage false positives, prioritizing what to fix first and tracking the coding correlation. Synopsys Intelligent Orchestration is the compa...

Smart Eye has entered into an agreement to acquire software startup Affectiva for USD73.5 million, according to a company press release on 25 May 2021. The two companies are merging to create a transatlantic artificial intelligence (AI) company to accelerate growth and development of the rapidly evolving automotive Interior Sensing market, as well as the Media Analytics and Human Factors Research markets, according to a Smart Eye press release. “As we watched the DMS category evolve into In...

Austin-based National Instruments (NI) announced the acquisition of Austin-based monoDrive, a start-up specializing in autonomous vehicle simulations, in  a press release dated 4 May on its official website. In conjunction, NI also said it is entering a strategic collaboration with engineering simulation company Ansys. The combined technology takes NI’s ability to test and record data in the real world through a set of autonomous sensors. It uses MonoDrive’s technology to run it in a...

Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. (“Woven Planet”), a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, acquires Level 5, the self-driving division of Lyft, Inc. one of the largest ride-hailing companies worldwide according to a press release on the company website dated 27 April. The transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021. Lyft will receive USD550 million in cash, with USD200 million paid upfront. The remaining USD350 million will be made in payments over five years. Sig...

Innoviz Technologies, the Israeli provider of solid-state lidar sensors and perception software, has completed its merger with Texas-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Collective Growth Corporation and will begin trading under the ticker symbols INVZ and INVZW at a valuation of USD1.4 billion.  As a result of the Business Combination, Innoviz has received approximately USD371 million in gross proceeds comprised of Collective Growth's USD141 million of cash held in...

Cognizant has acquired ESG Mobility for an undisclosed sum, the company said in a press release on 25 March. ESG Mobility provides digital automotive engineering research and development (R&D) for connected, autonomous and electric vehicles. Cognizant will employ the services of around 1,000 engineering R&D specialists from Germany, the US, and mainland China. “The automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental shift, embracing new mobility concepts that rely heavily on software, c...