Israeli autonomous car radar company Arbe Robotics has raised $9 million in a financing round led by Eyal Ofer’s O.G. Tech Ventures and equity crowdfunding platform OurCrowd, with the participation of previous investors Canaan Partners, iAngels, and Taya Ventures.
The Tel Aviv based company will use the investment to bring the company’s high-resolution radar system into full production, and enable its technology to be installed in autonomous cars within the coming year.
Arbe Robotics was founded in November 2015 by CEO Kobi Marenko, CTO Noam Arkind, and COO Oz Fixman. Arbe began by creating a complete collision avoidance system for drones, before adapting its technology to autonomous cars and creating an imaging radar system as the base for autonomous driving. The company raised $2.5 million in April.
High resolution radar gives autonomous cars the ability to sense, or “see”, their surroundings. Since radar is the only sensor that can reach high range in any weather, reflection and lighting conditions, it’s key for Level 3 automation (Conditional Driving Automation) and for full autonomous driving. However, radar faces two main problems today: low resolution and high false alarm rates, and Arbe’s patented technology solves them both.
The funds raised will also be used to open Arbe’s first customer service and support center, based in Silicon Valley and opening in January, to increase accessibility and availability for future car owners.
Arbe’s proprietary radar patented processing method is a full stack 4D imaging system that provides a cost effective, long range, high resolution radar solution for the automotive industry. Arbe’s platform implements two advanced technologies to create a full, comprehensive solution for autonomous cars: Ultra High Resolution Radar; and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM):
Marenko said, “We’ve had some incredible partners during our funding journey, and we’re excited to be a part of the movement that’s bringing Level 3 automation to the future of vehicles.”
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 3, 2017
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017