Electric cars can be repaired by robots, as Kinetic startup introduces them.

• Kinetic Automation, a collision repair business specializing in electric and autonomous vehicles, has secured $21 million in a series B round of venture funding.
• The round was led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from Allstate Strategic Ventures, Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, and the company's earliest investors Lux Capital, Construct Capital, and Haystack Ventures.
• The robotic system, computer vision, and machine learning software used by the startup enable rapid diagnosis and recalibration of sensors and software in EVs and modern cars.

Despite the ongoing growth of demand for electric vehicles in the U.S., the sales growth rate for eco-friendly cars has slowed down in 2024 due to the high cost of insurance and repairs for advanced technology models.

In a 2024 study by J.D. Power, only 26% of U.S. car buyers were "very likely to consider purchasing" an electric vehicle (EV) in the next year, while more than 20% were "very unlikely to consider an EV purchase" at all.

Kinetic Automation, a Santa Ana, California startup, offers diagnostics and recalibration of high-tech systems in modern vehicles to decrease costs associated with EV ownership and repairs.

The company, comprising approximately 40 full-time employees, has created a robotic system that utilizes computer vision and machine learning software to rapidly detect problems with a vehicle's digital systems.

Nikhil Naikal, the CEO and co-founder of a kinetic company, stated that many new models, particularly battery electrics, are equipped with advanced features such as touchscreens, infotainment software, cameras, and sensors that enable features such as rapid charging, driver safety features including forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping, and adaptive cruise control.

While collision repair centers and auto dealerships are skilled at physical fixes like replacing a bumper, fixing a busted windshield, brakes, and paint adjustment, ensuring all sensors, software, and computers are functioning correctly can be time-consuming and costly.

Kinetic employs its robotic systems and technicians to assist shops and dealerships in resolving the intricate digital issues encountered by customers with their cars.

One of Kinetic's service bays receives a customer's car, which is scanned from bumper to fender using machine vision sensors, some of which are mounted on a robotic arm that looks over the top of the vehicle.

The software connected to the vehicle's systems will initiate and track the completion of precise programming or recalibration of the systems determined by the scan.

The company established its initial four service centers in California, specifically in Las Vegas, Orange County, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties.

Kinetic has secured $21 million in a Series B round of venture funding, led by Menlo Ventures and joined by Allstate Strategic Ventures, Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, and the company's earliest investors Lux Capital, Construct Capital, and Haystack Ventures.

Shawn Carolan, a partner at Menlo Ventures, invested in Kinetic after being convinced by collision companies and auto dealerships that had worked with the company as pilot customers.

""This reduced our cycle time by days," "We got cars back to customers faster and cheaper," and "This made my life way easier," were the statements made, which indicated that this solution was already addressing a significant issue."

After working as the vice president of software engineering at Velodyne, a company that made lidar sensors for robots, drones, and autonomous vehicles, Naikal started Kinetic with his co-founders, COO Chris Weber and CTO Sander Marques.

Uber's former operations leader, Weber, now works as an entrepreneur, while Marques, a repeat tech entrepreneur, previously developed engine control modules for high-performance vehicles.

In the future, Kinetic will offer its services to robotaxi fleets and owners of other autonomous vehicles, but currently, the startup is concentrating on hiring and training technicians, as well as expanding its service hubs across the U.S. to handle a growing volume of auto repairs, particularly for electric vehicles that are becoming increasingly common on U.S. roads.

The CEO stated that Kinetic has primarily focused on working with Mach-E, Chevy Bolt, Ioniq EVs, and some vehicles at its existing service hubs.

In North America, the market research firm Canalys predicts that the combined sales of battery and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will reach 2.2 million units in 2024, accounting for approximately 12.5% of all new vehicle sales in the region.

"The rise in inflation, estimated at around 20%, can be attributed to the increase in motor vehicle insurance for electric vehicles (EVs) over the past 12 months, according to Naikal. I hope we can reduce this impact while making people feel more comfortable switching to electric vehicles."