This unique approach led Ajay Agarwal from Bain Capital Ventures to invest in Obvio.
Their journey into road safety began with intense research and participation in industry events. They discovered that the sector primarily concentrated on education, engineering, and enforcement as solutions, which often operated independently. Education initiatives were challenging to measure, engineering solutions were resource-intensive, and enforcement struggled to cover every stop sign.
They intend for Obvio to remain engaged with and supportive of the communities implementing their technology.
Obvio co-founders Ali Rehan and Dhruv Maheshwari firmly believe in building a successful business without reverting to questionable practices. They have implemented strict boundaries on surveillance and data sharing in their product to substantiate this claim.
Rehan and Maheshwari devised a hybrid strategy by combining these approaches.
Their brainchild? A solar-powered camera mounted on a brightly colored pylon that can be installed near any intersection. It stands out to increase visibility and is designed to be cost-effective and simple to deploy.
This venture is bold, especially considering the criticism faced by companies like Flock for potentially turning their plate-reading cameras into tools for excessive surveillance.
Strolling the streets in America can be fraught with danger. The team at Obvio, a startup from San Carlos, California, believes they can make a difference by installing cameras at stop signs — without transitioning into a scenario reminiscent of Big Brother watching every move.
Although this doesn’t entirely preclude potential misuse of the footage by law enforcement, it does mitigate the risk.
This setup inherently incentives an increase in citations, yet Rehan and Maheshwari express confidence in their ability to establish a sustainable business while combating severe traffic violations across American cities.
Before forwarding data to law enforcement for review and action, all information is meticulously verified by Obvio staff or subcontractors.
“Automated enforcement should be coupled with community endorsement rather than serving as a revenue-generating entity with hidden agendas,” remarked Maheshwari. The objective is to deter reckless drivers and foster broad community support for safer driving practices.
Obvio’s camera system records and analyzes footage locally. Only when a violation is detected does the footage leave the device. Other recordings of vehicles and pedestrians at junctions are stored on the device for approximately 12 hours before deletion. (Legally, municipalities own the footage and have remote access to it.)
The technology is provided free of charge to local authorities, with Obvio generating revenue from citations. The revenue sharing model between Obvio and governments fluctuates depending on location due to varying state regulations.
Ali Rehan and Dhruv Maheshwari crossed paths while working at Motive, a company specializing in dashboard cameras for trucks. In discussing their time there, Maheshwari shared with TechCrunch that they had recognized that “ordinary passenger vehicles could also be erratic drivers.”
He emphasized the significance of prioritizing values over profits, acknowledging that while it might limit short-term gains, adhering to this principle would secure the company’s long-term success. According to him, successful founders place the overarching mission ahead of immediate returns, even if it involves forgoing lucrative opportunities.
Their on-device AI has been trained to identify severe traffic violations, such as running stop signs. They assert that it is also capable of detecting speeding drivers, jaywalkers, illegal maneuvers, reckless lane changes, and distracted drivers. Whenever these infractions occur, the system cross-references the license plate with the DMV database of the respective state.
Maheshwari underlined the importance of trust among the company, cities, and the public.
Alarmed by their revelations regarding road safety, they unearthed not only escalating hazards for pedestrians but also the perception of enforcement lag in the U.S.
The preventative measures within Obvio’s technology discourage its cameras from being used for intrusive surveillance purposes.
Maheshwari accentuated the superior road safety practices observed in numerous other countries: advanced speed camera systems, a strong driving safety culture… In contrast, they viewed the U.S. as lagging behind these progressive nations.
Their vision has attracted significant investment, with the company securing $22 million in Series A funding led by Bain Capital Ventures. Obvio intends to utilize these funds to expand beyond the five cities in Maryland where they are currently operational.
