In a significant move towards advancing autonomous technology, Oxbotica, a leading developer of autonomous vehicle software, has announced a substantial funding round, securing $140 million in Series C financing. This latest funding round, which brings the total investment in the Oxford-based company to $225 million, marks a significant milestone in accelerating the adoption of its cutting-edge technology across various sectors, including mining and airports.

The funding announcement, made yesterday, underscores Oxbotica's commitment to driving innovation and expanding its footprint globally. Notable re-investing shareholders include bp ventures, BGF, Halma, Hostplus, Kiko Ventures (IP Group), Ocado Group, Tencent, Venture Science, and ZF. Additionally, new investors like Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co, Ltd and ENEOS Innovation Partners are joining the roster, indicating growing confidence in Oxbotica's vision and technology.

With this influx of capital, Oxbotica aims to accelerate its growth initiatives in key regions such as North America, EMEA, and APAC. The focus will be on deploying its autonomous operating system across diverse industries, spanning agriculture, airports, energy, goods delivery, mining, and collaborative passenger transportation.

Gavin Jackson, CEO of Oxbotica, expressed enthusiasm about the significant investment, stating, "This landmark investment from world-class investors is a huge confirmation of our strategy of applying autonomous driving technology where there is constant and urgent demand - in supply chains, industrial sectors and in solving the problem of overpopulation of our cities."

At the core of Oxbotica's mission is the concept of Universal Autonomy, which envisions enabling any vehicle, regardless of size or location, to operate autonomously, safely, and sustainably. The company's software solutions are designed to empower vehicles across various sectors with the capability of autonomous operation.

Oxbotica's collaborative ventures include partnerships with Ocado Group for autonomous goods delivery and Wenco International Mining Systems to enhance safety and efficiency in the mining industry through open autonomy. Furthermore, the company is poised to launch autonomous passenger shuttles and industry-specific vehicles in collaboration with Applied EV, bp, NEVS, and ZF in 2024.

Reflecting on Oxbotica's journey, Paul Newman, technical director, and co-founder, emphasized the company's dedication to realizing universal autonomy. "Oxbotica was founded 8 years ago with the goal of creating universal autonomy - providing safe and sustainable autonomy that does not depend on the place of work and the type of vehicle," Newman remarked. "Thanks to the greatest engineering talent and experience, using the best achievements of AI, robotics and the metaverse we are fulfilling this promise."