SoftBank invests $225M in ASI and forms autonomous construction venture
SoftBank Group has invested $225 million into Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI), a Utah-based company specializing in self-driving work vehicles. The two entities have also established a joint venture to build autonomous machines for various construction tasks, including road, rail, and airport projects.
Key Points:
- ASI's Mobius software enables the operation of mixed fleets of haul trucks, dozers, and loaders from different manufacturers.
- The joint venture will focus on civil construction and material handling on building sites.
- ASI was founded in 2000 by engineers who translated research from Utah State University into a commercial venture.
- SoftBank has a history of investing in autonomous machinery, having led a $200 million funding round for Gravis Robotics in August.
Quote:
"Together, we offer automated OEM-agnostic heavy equipment solutions that let customers deploy mixed fleets of haul trucks, dozers, loaders, compactors, and more," said Mel Torrie, ASI's CEO.
Author:
Cristian Dina, CRO at The Next Web, a thought leader and expert in the tech industry, who has interviewed over 300 industry leaders and authored the book "King of Networking."