Kiwibot acquires AUTO to improve delivery robot safety

Kiwibot announced the acquisition of AUTO Mobility Solutions Co. to enhance the safety of its delivery robots . This strategic partnership represents an important step forward for both companies in innovation and privacy protection in the robotics industry, especially for companies from China that deploy intelligent robots in Western markets .

Felipe Chavez, founder and CEO of Kiwibot, said that the acquisition of AUTO will bring them a wealth of technological innovations and a strong patent portfolio, which will significantly enhance the cybersecurity measures of its AI-driven robotics. He emphasized that this will not only consolidate the company's position in the market, but also safely connect Asia's manufacturing expertise with Western AI development.

Kiwibot, based in Berkeley, California, is a company that develops autonomous robots that use artificial intelligence. They have successfully deployed robots in the United States, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia since 2017. The company said they raised pre-seed funding and raised $10 million in December 2023 for delivery as a service (DaaS).

Kiwibot said it is actively exploring opportunities to expand its robot delivery service beyond college campuses and plans to announce two different categories of customers soon.

AUTO Mobility Solutions is a company headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, focusing on developing integrated circuit (IC) chips for artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity. AUTO has advanced path planning, positioning and obstacle avoidance technologies, and has established a patent portfolio in artificial intelligence, IoT and cybersecurity.

The two companies said the acquisition will help the combined entity provide leading systems worldwide and meet the evolving needs of businesses and consumers. Kiwibot CEO Felipe Chavez said the acquisition will strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure, especially given the growing interest in artificial intelligence and its related vulnerabilities. He added that Kiwibot and AUTO are looking to jointly develop enhanced capabilities in autonomous navigation, artificial intelligence decision-making and advanced cybersecurity measures.

Kiwibot said they are evaluating how to best integrate the brands of both companies and maintain a high degree of autonomy to effectively leverage their expertise and local knowledge. The company's future plans include continuously improving their autonomous delivery robots, expanding service areas, and integrating AUTO's technological advances to ensure a seamless and safe experience for users.