Volvo Group Venture Capital invests in software for autonomous mobility
Volvo Group Venture Capital AB has invested in Apex.AI, a leading software company in autonomous mobility. The investment will fund the development of a safety-certified software framework for autonomous systems.
Apex.AI, a Palo Alto, California-based company founded in 2017, is building an automotive-grade version of ROS (Robot Operating System), an established open source software framework commonly used in robotics and autonomous systems research. By providing a safer and more reliable version of ROS that will be certified according to the functional safety standard ISO 26262, Apex.AI enables companies to take their autonomous vehicle projects into production.
"We are excited to invest in a company that enables easier development of safety-certified systems," says Anna Westerberg, acting CEO of Volvo Group Venture Capital and SVP Volvo Group Connected Solutions.
"Apex.AI has a promising product offering with important commercial deployment potential for autonomous systems," says Dan Tram, Investment Director of Volvo Group Venture Capital, who is based in Silicon Valley.
The role of Volvo Group Venture Capital is to make investments in innovative companies at the forefront of service orientation as well as product differentiation and to support collaboration between startup companies and the Volvo Group.
Based on the trends shaping the future of transportation and Volvo Group strategic priorities Volvo Group Venture Capital focus investment areas are today Autonomous Solutions, Connected Services and Electromobility. The scope is global with a focus on Europe and North America.
The transaction has no significant impact on the Volvo Group's earnings or financial position.
Featured Product
Nion: Next-level time-of-flight
The new Nion 3D camera advances Time-of-Flight (ToF) technology with exceptional resolution, speed, and industrial robustness. Designed for demanding applications such as logistics, warehousing, industrial automation, and robotics, Nion delivers high-resolution depth data with real-time performance for faster, safer, and more flexible operations. At its core is the 1.2-megapixel Time-of-Flight sensor AF0130 from onsemi's Hyperlux ID family, offering up to four times the resolution of conventional VGA-based ToF cameras and significantly higher data density. Active 940-nm laser illumination ensures accurate and stable measurements in low-light conditions, artificial lighting, and even direct sunlight. With an IP67-rated housing, Nion is built for reliable operation in dusty, wet, and thermally challenging industrial environments. A user-friendly API with IDS peak support and compliance with the GigE Vision standard enable fast integration and flexible deployment in high-resolution 3D applications. The Nion 3D camera is now available from IDS Imaging Development Systems.
