10 Top Autonomous Vehicle Startups 2024
Last Updated: By Michaela Dale
With advancements in technology happening every day, it is no wonder that autonomous vehicle startups are scaling quickly across the globe to provide solutions to safety and logistics problems. From mobility-as-a-service to food delivery robots, these are the top autonomous vehicle (AV) startups.
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Fast-Growing AV Startups
Every year, new startups pull to the forefront of their industry through exciting innovation and industry-disrupting business models. We’ve rounded up the best autonomous vehicle startups of 2024 that startup lovers, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs should follow.
Disclaimer: With so many exciting startups launching and growing worldwide, we aren’t able to cover them all. Furthermore, the startups that are listed below are not officially ranked and are listed in no particular order.
1. Euler Motors
- Location: New Delhi, India
- Founders: Saurav Kumar
- Founded In: 2018
- Funding: Series C, $92 Million
- Investors Include: Blume Ventures, GIC, Emergent Ventures
Euler Motors produces unique, three-wheeled, electric, and autonomous vehicles for commercial use. With a focus on last-mile logistics for ecommerce and third-party logistics (3PL) companies, Euler Motors is innovating the mobility-as-a-service market.
2. Nuro
- Location: Mountain View, California
- Founders: Jiajun Zhu, Dave Ferguson
- Founded In: 2016
- Funding: Series D, $2.1 Billion
- Investors Include: Google, Gaorong Capital
Nuro is a self-driving vehicle startup geared toward delivery services for major brands such as Walmart and Chipotle. The startup is notorious for obtaining the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration exemption. Their technology has been applied to various vehicle sizes and types, from their signature robot to semi-trucks.
3. May Mobility
- Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Founders: Alisyn Malek, Edwin Olson, Steve Vozar
- Founded In: 2017
- Funding: Series C, $194.6 Million
- Investors Include: N/A
May Mobility is an autonomous vehicle startup testing its self-driving vehicles across a variety of cities, including Ann Arbor, Detroit, Arlington, and Sun City. The startup is partnered with Toyota, Bridgestone, and Moovit to develop commercial fleets.
4. Zoox
- Location: Foster City, California
- Founders: Jesse Levinson, Tim Kentley Klay
- Founded In: 2014
- Funding: Convertible Note
- Investors Include: N/A
Zoox is an autonomous vehicle startup offering mobility-as-a-service with self-driving vehicles in urban areas. Acquired by Amazon in June of 2020, the startup is continuing to grow and test its taxi services in Las Vegas, Nevada.
5. Cruise
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Kyle Vogt, Dan Kan
- Founded In: 2013
- Funding: N/A
- Investors Include: N/A
Cruise is a mission-based, mobility-as-a-service startup that leverages self-driving vehicles to provide rides in urban areas. With a focus on providing rides for those in need or unable to drive, Cruise aims to create a safer alternative to manned vehicles. The startup is a sub-organization of General Motors.
6. Einride
- Location: Stockholm, Sweden
- Founders: Filip Lilja, Linnéa Kornehed, Robert Falck
- Founded In: 2016
- Funding: Debt Financing
- Investors Include: N/A
Einride is a freight technology company bringing autonomous technology to shipping. The company also specializes in digital and electric alternatives to fuel-powered vehicles in the supply chain. By 2019, Einride was the first company to operate an electric, autonomous vehicle on a public road.
7. Oxa
- Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
- Founders: Ingmar Posner, Paul Newman
- Founded In: 2014
- Funding: Series C, $229.5 Million
- Investors Include: Kiko Ventures, Venture Science, BP, Halma, Hostplus
Oxa is a software development company that specializes in autonomous vehicle software, allowing businesses to safely and effectively leverage self-driving technology. The company offers three main software products – Oxa Driver, Oxa MetaDriver, and Oxa Hub – so that vehicle companies can drive and deploy all solutions in one place.
8. Nauto
- Location: Palo Alto, California
- Founders: Frederick Soo, Stefan Heck
- Founded In: 2015
- Funding: Series Unknown, $173.9 Million
- Investors Include: Stellantis Ventures, General Motors Ventures
Nauto uses predictive artificial intelligence (AI) to help prevent collisions to improve driver safety without invading privacy. With both in-vehicle interaction and out-of-vehicle recording, Nauto aims to protect against a high-risk event or help identify the cause afterward.
9. AEye
- Location: Dublin, California
- Founders: Luis C. Dussan, Jordan Greene
- Founded In: 2013
- Funding: Post-IPO Equity, $314.1 Million
- Investors Include: N/A
AEye is a software startup developing lidar systems to better integrate the automotive industry with autonomous technology safely and effectively. The startup’s 4Sight™ Intelligent Sensing Platform is a sensor-based technology that increases reporting speed, resulting in safer operation.
10. NIO
- Location: Shanghai, China
- Founders: Jack Cheng, Lihong Qin, William Li
- Founded In: 2014
- Funding: Post-IPO Equity, $6.2 Billion
- Investors Include: CYVN Holdings, Hefei City Construction, Investment Holding Group
NIO designs and manufactures premium autonomous electric vehicles. Most notably, NIO cars swap batteries rather than relying on charging stations, giving the company a unique edge.
Recommended: Check out our full list of the top startups to watch!
