Collaboration leverages DENSO’s experience in commercializing advanced technologies with Aeva’s unique 4D LiDAR on chip to enable automated driving at scale
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — January 19, 2021 — Aeva Inc. (“Aeva”), a leader in next generation sensing and perception systems, today announced a collaboration with DENSO, a leading global mobility supplier of advanced automotive technology for major automakers, to bring Aeva’s 4D LiDAR technology to the mass vehicle market.
Aeva’s 4D LiDAR technology is the only viable Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology to enable automated driving for series production. Built from the ground up on proprietary silicon photonics technology, Aeva’s 4D LiDAR combines instant velocity measurement for each pixel, long range at high resolution, immunity to other LiDAR or sunlight interference, and scalability at industry leading costs on proven semiconductor processes.
“DENSO is a leader in commercializing advanced technologies at affordable costs and our collaboration is further evidence that Aeva’s 4D LiDAR provides what we believe will be an unparalleled combination of superior performance and scalability,” said Soroush Salehian, Co-Founder and CEO at Aeva. “We’re excited to work alongside DENSO to bring Aeva’s 4D LiDAR to global OEMs looking to implement automated driving across their vehicle programs at scale.”
“Aeva’s FMCW 4D LiDAR solution addresses the missing link for perception in automated driving and advanced driver-assistance systems, with its unique ability to meet the stringent automotive performance and safety requirements,” said Kazuma Natsume, Director of AD & ADAS Engineering Div. 2 at DENSO. “We look forward to collaborating with Aeva to further develop FMCW LiDAR, bring it to the mass market and create a society free from traffic accidents.”
Aeva is engaged with 30 of the top OEM and automotive industry players in the advanced driver assistance and autonomous driving industries, has received strategic investments from Porsche SE, the majority shareholder of VW Group, and has relationships with some of the largest Tier 1 automotive suppliers.
Aeva remains on track to complete its previously announced business combination agreement with InterPrivate Acquisition Corp (NYSE: IPV), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, in the first quarter of 2021. The business combination is expected to provide up to $563M in gross proceeds. The combined company is expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol, “AEVA”.
About Aeva
Founded in 2017 by former Apple engineers Soroush Salehian and Mina Rezk, and led by a multidisciplinary team of engineers and operators, Aeva is building the next-generation of sensing and perception for autonomous vehicles and beyond. Aeva is backed by Adage Capital, Porsche SE, Lux Capital and Canaan Partners, amongst others. For more information, visit www.aeva.com.
About DENSO
DENSO is a $47.6 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 200 facilities to produce thermal, powertrain, mobility, electrification, & electronic systems, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. DENSO’s 170,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 9.9 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020. For more information about global DENSO, visit https://www.denso.com/global.
About InterPrivate Acquisition Corp.
InterPrivate is a blank check company organized for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. InterPrivate is controlled by affiliates of Ahmed M. Fattouh, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and InterPrivate LLC, a private investment firm founded by Mr. Fattouh that invests on behalf of a consortium of family offices in partnership with independent sponsors from the private equity and venture capital industries. InterPrivate focused its efforts on evaluating business combination targets by leveraging InterPrivate’s network of independent sponsors, family offices and private equity and venture capital firms. InterPrivate is an emerging growth company as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the proposed transaction between Aeva and InterPrivate, including statements regarding the benefits of the transaction, the anticipated timing of the transaction, the services offered by Aeva and the markets in which it operates, and Aeva’s projected future results. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” estimate,” “intend, ” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including, but not limited to: (i) the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of InterPrivate’s securities, (ii) the risk that the transaction may not be completed by InterPrivate’s business combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the business combination deadline if sought by InterPrivate, (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the transaction, including the adoption of the business combination agreement by the stockholders of InterPrivate and Aeva, the satisfaction of the minimum trust account amount following redemptions by InterPrivate’s public stockholders and the receipt of certain governmental and regulatory approvals, (iv) the lack of a third party valuation in determining whether or not to pursue the proposed transaction, (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the agreement and plan of merger, (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transaction on Aeva’s business relationships, performance, and business generally, (vii) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans of Aeva and potential difficulties in Aeva employee retention as a result of the proposed transaction, (viii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Aeva or against InterPrivate related to the agreement and plan of merger or the proposed transaction, (ix) the ability to maintain the listing of InterPrivate’s securities on the New York Stock Exchange, (x) the price of InterPrivate’s securities may be volatile due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Aeva plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting Aeva’s business and changes in the combined capital structure, (xi) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the proposed transaction, and identify and realize additional opportunities, (xii) the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which Aeva operates, (xiii) the risk that Aeva and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize Aeva’s products or services, or experience significant delays in doing so, (xiv) the risk that Aeva may never achieve or sustain profitability; (xv) the risk that Aeva will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which many not be available on acceptable terms or at all; (xvi) the risk that the post-combination company experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations, (xvii) the risk that third-parties suppliers and manufacturers are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations, (xviii) the risk of product liability or regulatory lawsuits or proceedings relating to Aeva’s products and services, (xix) the risk that Aeva is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property and (xx) the risk that the post-combination company’s securities will not be approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange or if approved, maintain the listing. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “"Risk Factors” section of InterPrivate’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, the registration statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement/consent solicitation statement/prospectus discussed below and other documents filed by InterPrivate from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Aeva and InterPrivate assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither Aeva nor InterPrivate gives any assurance that either Aeva or InterPrivate will achieve its expectations.
