INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Augmented reality is a very buzzy space, but the fundamental technologies underpinning it are pushing boundaries across a lot of other
Machine learning, object recognition and visual mapping tech are the pillars of plenty of new ventures, enabling there to be companies that
help drivers easily pinpoint where they need to make their next turn also helps them build up rich mapping data that can give partners like
autonomous car startups the high-quality data they so deeply need.The SF-based company has just closed a $3 million seed deal led by Norwest
Venture Partners and The Venture Reality Fund
and Half Court Ventures.While phone and headset-based AR have received a lot of the broader media attention, the automotive industry is a
central focus for a lot of augmented reality startups attracted by the proposition of a mobile environment that can showcase and integrate
prior to joining Y Combinator, Phiar was actually looking to build some of this hardware themselves before deciding on a more
As a result, the company has had to build tech to greater understand the geometry of a quickly updating world through a single camera while
company on the surface; its real sell is what it can do with the data and insights gathered from an always-on dash camera
The same object recognition tech that will allow the app to seamlessly toss AR animations onto the scene in front of you is also analyzing
that environment and uploading metadata to build up its mapping insights.In addition, the app saves up to 30 minutes of footage from each
ride, offering users the utility of a free dash cam in case they get in an accident and need video for an insurance claim, while providing
useful to companies building autonomous car tech, ridesharing companies and a lot of entities that are interested in access to quickly
The challenge for Phiar will be building up enough users so their map data is as rich as their partners will demand.CEO Chen-Ping Yu says
to companies in the ridesharing space
Yu says the company plans to release their consumer app in mid-2019.
