CloudCar

About CloudCar

CloudCar, Inc. was a technology startup founded in 2011 by Konstantin Othmer and Albert Jordan. The company operated from Palo Alto, California, and focused on developing a cloud-based, voice-first infotainment platform for the connected vehicle market. Its core offering was a platform that integrated machine learning and a voice-first interface to create a personalized in-car experience for drivers. The system provided car manufacturers with a software development kit (SDK) that could be embedded into a vehicle's head unit, giving them access to cloud services and content from providers integrated into the CloudCar platform.

The company's business model was centered on supplying its technology to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). CloudCar aimed to allow these manufacturers to gather and manage data, deploy services to new regions without firmware updates, and maintain their own brand identity within the infotainment system. The platform was designed to process large amounts of data using solutions like Apache Kafka and Apache Storm to deliver features such as suggesting alternate routes based on traffic conditions.

Throughout its history, CloudCar secured significant funding from investors. It raised a total of $58 million over three rounds, with notable investments from Jaguar Land Rover and DCM Ventures. An investment of $15 million from Jaguar Land Rover in 2017 included an agreement for the automaker to adopt CloudCar's platform for its next-generation vehicles. Co-founder Konstantin Othmer had prior entrepreneurial experience, having founded Core Mobility, which was acquired by Smith Micro Software, and ePeople, Inc. Despite its developments and partnerships, CloudCar is now listed as a deadpooled company.