Bedrock Robotics, a San Francisco-based company, recently secured $80 million in combined Seed and Series A funding. Eclipse led the Seed round, while 8VC spearheaded the Series A investment. This significant capital infusion supports the company's mission to automate heavy equipment in the construction industry.
Bedrock Robotics focuses on developing a self-driving kit. This innovative system retrofits existing construction and worksite vehicles. Consequently, it enables fully autonomous operations for these machines.
## Advancing Off-Road Autonomy
The company emerged from stealth mode after operating quietly for over a year. Boris Sofman, a co-founder and CEO, previously led Waymo's self-driving trucks program. Other co-founders include Waymo veterans Kevin Peterson (CTO) and Ajay Gummalla (VP Engineering), alongside Tom Eliaz (VP Engineering), who previously worked at Segment.
Bedrock Robotics is currently testing its technology across various U.S. states. These include Arkansas, Arizona, Texas, and California. Furthermore, the company collaborates with major corporations like Sundt Construction, Zachry Construction Corporation, Champion Site Prep Inc., and Capitol Aggregates Inc.
The firm joins a growing number of companies applying advanced robotics and AI to off-road environments. For instance, `Pronto` recently acquired SafeAI, expanding its reach in haulage truck automation. Similarly, `AIM Intelligent Machines` also retrofits heavy construction equipment with AI-powered systems. This trend highlights increasing investment in `construction automation` and `robotics startups`.
