Volvo Group Venture Capital AB has invested in Apex.AI, a software company in autonomous mobility. The investment will fund the development of a safety-certified software framework for autonomous systems.
Apex.AI is building an automotive-grade version of ROS (Robot Operating System), an established open source software framework commonly used in robotics and autonomous systems research. By providing a safer and more reliable version of ROS that will be certified according to the functional safety standard ISO 26262, Apex.AI enables companies to take their autonomous vehicle projects into production, according to the announcement.
“We are excited to invest in a company that enables easier development of safety-certified systems,” says Anna Westerberg, acting CEO of Volvo Group Venture Capital and senior vice president, Volvo Group Connected Solutions.
“Apex.AI has a promising product offering with important commercial deployment potential for autonomous systems,” says Dan Tram, investment director, Volvo Group Venture Capital.
Volvo Group Venture Capital say its role is to make investments in innovative companies at the forefront of service orientation as well as product differentiation and to support collaboration between startup companies and the Volvo Group.
Based on the trends shaping the future of transportation and Volvo Group strategic priorities, Volvo Group Venture Capital focuses investment areas are autonomous solutions, connected services and electromobility. The scope is global with a focus on North America and Europe.
