The former CEO and co-founder of General Motors (GM) self-driving unit Cruise has launched a new robotics firm, following an accident in October which led to his stepping down from Cruise. Vogt, along with Luke Holoubek, a former Technical Advisor for Cruise, and Paril Jain, previously a Tech Lead and Manager in artificial intelligence (AI) at Tesla for seven years, has started the robotics company. In a social media post, Vogt expressed his excitement at starting the new company, stating “We’re building bots that do chores so you don’t have to.” He emphasized the role of bots in helping people reclaim their time, acknowledging the various demands of modern life.
The team aims to build robots, including the self-driving kind, to give people more time and enhance their lives. Vogt announced that the company has raised $150 million from investors and entrepreneurs, with plans to release more details about the company in the near future. Jain, in a repost of Vogt’s announcement, also expressed his enthusiasm for the new venture, having departed from Tesla.
He highlighted his proud involvement in building the best self-driving product at Tesla and teased upcoming versions of V12 and Actually Smart Summon. Vogt, who co-founded Cruise in 2013 and saw its acquisition by GM in 2016, has begun a new chapter in the field of robotics, supported by a seasoned team with a vision for leveraging technology to improve people’s lives.