autolane is building ‘air traffic control’ for autonomous vehicles

The Rise of Robotaxi Infrastructure and Autolane's $7.4 Million Funding

The recent and accelerating rollout of robotaxi services by firms such as Waymo and Zoox is sparking renewed discussion regarding the potential impact of autonomous vehicles on everyday life. This extends beyond simply driverless transportation to encompass possibilities like automated grocery delivery or dry cleaning pick-up.

The Criticality of Seamless Handoffs

For these scenarios to become reality, the successful management of transfer points – determining precisely where a vehicle should halt for service – will be paramount. Autolane, a company headquartered in Palo Alto, is focused on developing this essential infrastructure layer, and has secured $7.4 million in new funding to further its objectives.

Partnership with Simon Property Group

Supported by venture capital firms including Draper Associates and Hyperplane, Autolane intends to initially concentrate on coordinating pick-up and drop-off locations for robotaxis operating on private properties. A key agreement has been reached with Simon Property Group to manage the arrival and departure of driverless vehicles at shopping centers located in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, California.

This collaboration will involve the creation of both physical elements, such as signage – similar to the Uber and Lyft stanchions commonly found at hotels and airports – and accompanying software solutions.

Positioning as an "Application Layer" Company

“We consider ourselves among the first companies to operate at the ‘application layer’ within the autonomy sector,” stated Ben Seidl, Autolane’s co-founder and CEO, in an exclusive interview with TechCrunch. “We are not involved in the development of the core autonomous models, nor are we manufacturing vehicles. Our focus is on orchestrating, coordinating, and assessing operations as this industry experiences rapid expansion – a trend already evident this year and projected to continue for the next decade.”

Expanding Beyond Robotaxis

While currently focused on robotaxis, Seidl envisions applying Autolane’s technology to a broader range of tasks that autonomous vehicles may perform in the future. He emphasizes the need for swift action, believing that Autolane currently faces “no direct competition,” though he anticipates this will change shortly.

Inspiration from Tesla's FSD

Seidl’s conviction in the business opportunity stemmed from his experience with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) driver assistance software after purchasing a Tesla last year.

“The experience of my car driving me around town, with remarkable accuracy, was truly transformative,” he explained. “It highlighted the potential for significant changes in logistics, retail, real estate, work environments, residential areas, leisure activities, and the cost of moving goods, services, and people.”

Addressing Real-World Challenges

Seidl referenced the widely publicized incident involving a Waymo robotaxi becoming stuck in a Chick-fil-A drive-through in Santa Monica, California, as an illustration of the issues Autolane aims to prevent. He believes that utilizing Autolane’s software and establishing designated pick-up and drop-off points can mitigate such problems.

“Someone must introduce order to this emerging complexity, and that complexity is already manifesting,” he asserted.

The Value Proposition: Precision and Integration

While companies could theoretically manage some of this infrastructure independently, particularly regarding physical signage, Seidl argues that autonomous systems require a higher level of precision.

“Simply erecting a sign is insufficient for autonomous robotics,” he stated. “These systems demand precise instructions, accurate geolocation data, and technological communication. A basic sign cannot guarantee successful operation with the diverse range of robotic technologies that will be deployed.”

Autolane’s value lies in its integration with both real estate owners and autonomous vehicle providers. The company plans to develop APIs for physical locations, enabling autonomous vehicle companies to receive precise operational instructions. Businesses will need to “directly integrate with each robotics and automotive company to ensure adherence to their guidelines,” he explained.

Focus on Private Property

Seidl clarified that Autolane will deliberately avoid engagement with cities or municipalities.

“We do not operate on public streets or utilize public parking spaces,” he said. “We provide a B2B, hardware-enabled SaaS solution that allows entities like Costco, McDonald’s, Home Depot, and Simon Property Group – the world’s largest retail REIT – to establish what I term ‘air traffic control for autonomous vehicles,’ providing visibility into incoming and outgoing vehicles.”