Automotus, a Los Angeles–based software firm specializing in curb management, traffic monitoring, and related payment technologies, announced this month it has secured $9 million in a new funding round.
With this latest round, the startup Automotus has now raised a total of $26 million. The company was founded in 2017 by Jordan Justus and co-founder and CTO Harris Lummis while they were students at Loyola Marymount University.
Investors participating in the round include Santa Barbara Venture Partners, Weatherford Capital, BarronKent Ventures, Techstars Ventures, kineo, along with additional backers, according to a statement from the company. The raise consists of $7.5 million in equity and $1.5 million in credit.
The company’s platform, which is increasingly making waves in the market, uses computer vision to help cities and airports better manage curbside activity, offering tools for traffic monitoring, data analytics, and automated payments.
Said CEO Jordan Justus, “Cities and airports are under enormous pressure to modernize curb infrastructure as commercial traffic grows and autonomous vehicles emerge. This investment enables us to scale our impact and continue delivering solutions that improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability on city streets.”
Growing demand from ride-hailing services and the surge in retail deliveries have made curbside space increasingly congested, heightening the need for more sophisticated management solutions.
The company reports that its technology is now deployed in dozens of markets nationwide. Proceeds from the new funding will be used to expand product capabilities, enter new markets, and enhance customer support.
According to Ganesh Vanama, Computer Vision Engineer at Automotus, “The WHO estimates that around 1.19 million people die each year from road traffic crashes, with more than half being vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.”
“AI-driven curb management gives cities a way to see and measure interactions. By using computer vision and real-time curb analytics, cities can understand how their streets operate everyday and rethink street design to improve safety,” added the computer vision expert.