TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pitstop, a prognostics platform for predicting vehicle failures before they happen, today announced $1.5 million in seed financing as well as a pilot test program with leading automotive supplier and intelligent transportation technology company, Continental. The funding round was led by Toronto-based VC fund Ripple Ventures with participation from WorldQuant Ventures, Hike VC, OCE, and MD from Clairvest Michael Castellarin.
The program combines capabilities of the Pitstop Data Engine and the Continental Remote Vehicle Data (RVD) Platform to provide real-time, actionable insights to the automotive industry, including the aftermarket, through a dashboard and mobile application. The combined data and prognostics tool can predict failures, prevent inefficiencies and reduce maintenance costs faced by the automotive industry.
“With the growth of the global automotive market, and the global connected car market expected to reach $280.36 billion by 2026, we are seeing predictive analytics play a vital role in reducing unexpected downtime and costs for businesses operating in this industry,” said Pitstop Founder and CEO, Shiva Bhardwaj. “As business models move from products to services, Pitstop is excited about exploring the opportunities presented by combining Continental’s RVD Platform with our analytics solution, to help our clients navigate the changing transportation industry.”
The Pitstop prognostics platform aggregates automotive data and sends it to a secure remote server where algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning tools provide useful information about increasingly complex automotive systems.
“Continental is excited to be working with Pitstop on the opportunities that combining Pitstop’s analytics platform with Continental’s RVD platform can bring to the automotive industry,” said Christopher Bahlman, Head of Diagnostics & Services for the Independent Aftermarket segment of Continental’s Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket Business Unit in North America.
The pilot test program between Pitstop and Continental positions both companies with an unparalleled, transformative and first to market offering that provides predictability about the future and addresses the current realities of today for customers throughout the automotive value chain.
About Pitstop
Based in Toronto, Canada, Pitstop
is a cloud-based automotive prognostic platform that enables customers
to understand and leverage the data available from their automotive
assets. Pitstop aggregates data with cloud-based proprietary algorithms,
AI and machine learning to provide real-time actionable information that
is used by connected vehicle clients to deliver increased financial
returns. In 2019, Pitstop received the Frost & Sullivan Product
Leadership Award for the Vehicle Prognostics Service Industry in North
America. For more information, visit: pitstopconnect.com.
About Continental
Continental develops pioneering
technologies and services for the sustainable and connected mobility of
people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers
safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles,
machines, traffic and transportation. In 2018, Continental generated
sales of €44.4 billion and currently employs around 245,000 people in 60
countries and markets.
Information management in and beyond the vehicle is at the very heart of the Interior division. The product portfolio for different types of vehicles includes: instrument clusters, multifunctional and head-up displays, control units, access control and tire-information systems, radios, infotainment systems, input devices, control panels, climate control units, software, cockpits as well as services and solutions for telematics and Intelligent Transportation Systems. The Interior division employs around 48,000 people worldwide and generated sales of €9.7 billion in 2018.
Within the Interior Division, the Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket Business Unit accommodates the specific requirements of the commercial vehicle, special vehicle and aftermarket sector. A global network of sales and service companies ensures proximity to local customers covering the product brands of Continental, VDO, ATE, GALFER and Barum. The Business Unit offers web based managed services, fleet management and tachograph solutions, electronic products, systems and services for commercial and special vehicles, a broad selection of products for specialized workshops and spare parts for the Independent Aftermarket and the Original Equipment Services after end of series production of the vehicle manufacturer.
