Sunnyvale, Calif. – July 21, 2021 – Sonatus, a leading automotive software company that is unlocking the full potential of the software-defined vehicle, today announced it has raised $35 million in Series A funding. The round is comprised of world-class automotive and technology investors, including Hyundai Motor Group’s Kia Corporation, SAIC Capital, LG Electronics, Marvell, UMC Capital, and Wanxiang Group Company, with Translink Capital leading the round. The funds will be used to fuel global growth and further expand the company’s roadmap of next-generation software-defined vehicle solutions.
The Series A financing validates Sonatus’ vision and strong entry to the automotive ecosystem. The company’s first-generation solution is already in production at a top global automaker, with further details of the partnership to be unveiled soon. This funding will allow Sonatus to further execute on its mission of helping automakers transform vehicles into “data centers on wheels” with next-generation architectures capable of supporting the most advanced future mobility use cases.
Sonatus is unique in the marketplace as it combines engineering and operational talent from the IT/data center world—including many people who have pioneered transformative software-defined technologies at industry-leading companies– with top-notch talent from automotive OEMs and suppliers. Because of this distinctive combination, Sonatus offers automakers unparalleled expertise in software-defined vehicle technologies. The company compresses decades of digital innovation into scalable solutions that can be integrated in as little as a year—empowering automakers to innovate faster, reduce complexity and costs, and become more agile.
“We are pleased that such a prominent group of automotive OEMs and suppliers have demonstrated confidence in our business model and software solutions,” said Jeff Chou, CEO and Co-Founder of Sonatus. “The way automobiles are designed has to dramatically change to meet the escalating digital demands of mobility. That means driving dynamics must be replaced by Digital Dynamics as the new competitive differentiator. As vehicles become more technologically complex and data driven, they must adopt software-defined technologies that originate from modern data centers—to become veritable ‘data centers on wheels.’ Our software-defined and automotive expertise make us the right partner at the right time to help automakers embrace Digital Dynamics—speed, agility, and control with digital technologies—and build the vehicles of the future.”
Sonatus’ software solutions empower automakers with dynamic capabilities that enable them to be nimbler and more efficient in managing and innovating with their vehicles. Unlike other solutions that rely solely on over-the-air software updates to modify a vehicle, Sonatus’ dynamically manageable software enables automakers to remotely add features, remedy problems, manage vehicle data, and more—in real time—without the cost and disruption of software updates.
“Sonatus stands out among emerging automotive technology partners helping to achieve the vision of cars becoming datacenters on wheels,” said Stefan Heuser, VP – Head of Investment at Hyundai CRADLE. “They balance breakthrough innovation with pragmatism to offer credible solutions that not only help with software architecture, but also to bring us to the forefront of technology innovation. When Hyundai Motor Group is making an investment decision, we often consider if we could envision working with that supplier. Sonatus fits that profile, and we are pleased to be a part of their success in the automotive industry.”
“SAIC understands that emerging technology partners will play an important role in the digital evolution of the automotive industry,” said Michael Cohen, investment director, SAIC Capital. “Sonatus’ team and software solution roadmap align exceptionally well with the highest strategic priorities among automakers today. We recognize Sonatus’ value and potential in the industry and are excited to be a part of its growth. “
Sonatus collaborates with OEMs and their Tier 1 suppliers to seamlessly integrate its ready-built software-defined solutions into existing electronic control unit (ECU) hardware as well as next-generation vehicle architectures. The company’s agile development methods and nimble culture complement automakers’ development processes. Partnering with Sonatus provides automakers a new playbook to transform their vehicles more quickly and cost effectively.
Roger Lanctot, director, global automotive practice, Strategy Analytics, said, “The digital transformation of the automobile has created the need for specialized software companies, like Sonatus. As automakers push their organizations to transform in record time, they need partners with deep expertise in software and data center technologies. Sonatus combines this expertise with automotive experience to help OEMs accelerate their transformation and successfully navigate this transformation.”
ABOUT SONATUS
Sonatus is accelerating vehicle software innovation and the transition towards software-defined vehicles. The diverse products comprising the Sonatus Vehicle Platform serve as the key building blocks that allow automotive companies and their ecosystem to fast forward to the future of mobility and deliver continuous improvements in costs, capabilities, reliability, and user experience over the vehicle lifespan. Sonatus’ award-winning software platform is in mass production in over 1 million vehicles from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis today and will grow to millions of cars by 2024. The company has raised more than $110 million USD with world-class automotive, technology, and venture investors including Foxconn, Hyundai Motor Group’s Kia Corporation, LG Electronics, Marvell, NEC and Translink Orchestrating Future Fund, SAIC Capital, Translink Capital, UMC Capital, and Wanxiang. Sonatus is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA (Silicon Valley), with offices in Dublin, Paris, Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei, and Tokyo. Sonatus is a trademark of Sonatus, Inc. For more information visit www.sonatus.com.