Charged EVs | Harbinger acquires autonomous driving company Phantom AI

Harbinger, a manufacturer of medium-duty EVs (see our recent interview with CEO John Harris), has acquired autonomous driving company Phantom AI. The Phantom AI team of 30 employees will continue to operate in Mountain View, California.

Harbinger will incorporate Phantom AI’s computer vision into its vehicles, enabling ADAS features such as emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and more.

Harbinger and ZF Group’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business unit also plan to license Phantom AI’s computer vision for passenger car ADAS products. The acquisition of Phantom AI and the partnership with ZF Group create a new software services revenue stream for Harbinger.

“Our acquisition of Phantom AI and partnership with ZF are pivotal milestones for Harbinger as we expand beyond commercial vehicles and enter new segments for the first time,” said John Harris. “We are combining Phantom AI’s computer vision with ZF’s global reach and leadership in automotive systems to unlock an entirely new revenue stream of software services and autonomy. At the same time, we are incorporating even more advanced driver assistance and safety features into our medium-duty vehicles, which is something our large Fortune 500 customers have been asking for.”

“Licensing Phantom AI’s computer vision will help strengthen ZF’s passenger car ADAS portfolio,” said Christopher Ludwig, VP of Procurement for ZF’s Electronics & ADAS Division. “This collaboration allows ZF to provide a broader selection of products and options to our customers today while creating a path for future autonomous driving capabilities.”

“Thanks to this acquisition, we are able to deliver a more comprehensive, technology-forward solution that includes robust ADAS capabilities and telematics to the medium-duty vehicle segment and beyond,” said Dr. Cho, co-founder and CEO, Phantom AI. “While these features are already expected in passenger vehicles, medium-duty fleets have historically been underserved.”

Source: Harbinger