Follow-on:

Follow-up investment: Kopernikus Automotive wins contract for VW Test Facility and receives follow-on investment 

TGFS

02 February 2023

Our portfolio company Kopernikus Automotive GmbH secures a follow-on investment of € 3 m from Continental and TGFS. The AI start-up specialises in driverless highly automated parking and autonomous manoeuvring at Level 4. 

Earlier, there was already good news from Kopernikus: 

  • A contract for a brand new Automated Valet Parking Type 2 Test Facility in Wolfsburg was signed with Volkswagen’s CARIAD software group. 
  • Two contracts for pilot projects at two Ford car plants were secured in 2022.

„This capital increase ensures that we can complete our series development and safety certification for one of the first truly driverless applications we will witness in our everyday lives,“ says Kopernikus COO Tim von Törne regarding the current round. 

Kopernikus is focusing its AI development on AVP and infrastructure-based manoeuvring: All vehicles are monitored and driven by cameras and computers located within a building or on a premise (often a parking structure, logistics centre or vehicle factory). Kopernikus equips this compound with AI that can drive a car safely. The new Test Facility in Wolfsburg is intended to serve as a development and testing ground for the development of new vehicles with AVP functionality. 

„It is not easy for a start-up to enter the automotive industry, especially with an AI-based driving function. That’s why we are very grateful to all partners and automobile manufacturers, particularly here in Germany, who have collaborated with us on this new technology over the past few years. They have allowed us to experiment, test and for the first time, implement Automated Valet Parking in various working groups and configurations. Together, we have brought it into specification and standardisation because, with this technology, the car and infrastructure need to collaborate,“ says Stefan Jenzowsky, CEO of Kopernikus Automotive. 

Continental and TGFS had previously invested in the start-up. Sören Schuster (Managing Director of TGFS): „Kopernikus Automotive has made outstanding progress in the development of their system over the last two years — not only under „labotary conditions“ but also in a variety of field test applications. We are pleased and proud to continue to support the development of the highly dedicated Kopernikus team.“ 

Your contact
Sören Schuster | Managing Director
+49 341 256963 30
soeren.schuster@cfh.de

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