Honda Acquires Smartphone App Developer Drivemode
Honda’s research and development division has announced the acquisition of Drivemode Inc, a startup company that develops and operates smartphone-based connected service, with special emphasis on cloud-based tech and user interfaces.
Drivemode officially became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda R&D on September 26, 2019, after the latter — itself a subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company — acquired all of the outstanding shares of the California-based app dev.
Though the acquisition is recent, the two subsidiaries had been working together since 2015 via Honda Xcelerator, a global program designed to help fund innovators and startups just like Drivemode. Now the developer will work at Honda’s Digital Solution Center, established in April of this year, to help accelerate the automaker’s creation of connected mobility services.
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“Since Drivemode began working with Honda in 2015, our entire company has been inspired and impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit driving Honda’s engineering and product development. Guided by our shared culture of innovation and transformation, we are proud to join Honda as their first startup acquisition,” said Yo Koga, CEO of Drivemode.
“With the support of Honda, the Drivemode team can have a lasting impact on actual vehicles and drivers around the world at scale. Our focus has always been on providing safe, meaningful software solutions for drivers, and with Honda’s hardware capabilities, we can continue innovating on mobile-based technology for connected cars and motorcycles.”
Drivemode will be hard at work developing and providing smartphone apps for drivers as the industry continues to transform itself into one focused less on providing straightforward transportation and more on offering deeply integrated mobility services.
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