Autolane Secures $7.4M in Funding, Launches Curbside Operating System at Simon® Centers to Transform Retail Curbs for Autonomous Vehicle Era

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12/03/2025 - 09:09 AM

Investment co-led by Draper Associates and Hyperplane fuels expansion as Autolane goes live at Austin and Bay Area shopping centers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Autolane, a leader in autonomous vehicle infrastructure, today announced $7.4 million in funding co-led by Draper Associates and Hyperplane, with participation from LAUNCH and Feld Ventures. Additionally, Autolane is deploying its curbside operating system at four Simon^® properties in Texas and California.

The funding will accelerate Autolane's deployment across the retail, restaurant, and commercial property sectors. The technology supports both autonomous ride-hailing services like Waymo and Tesla Robotaxi, as well as autonomous delivery vehicles serving retailers and restaurants within the shopping centers. Since launching its first full-scale test site in the San Francisco Bay Area in May 2025, Autolane has demonstrated that dedicated autonomous vehicle infrastructure can reduce curbside pickup times by 50% or more via operational efficiencies in order communication, handoff, and execution.

Autolane at Simon Centers

Autolane brings its technology to The Domain^® and Barton Creek Square^TM in Austin, Texas, and Stanford Shopping Center^® and Great Mall^® in the San Francisco Bay Area. The system coordinates autonomous vehicle arrivals, authenticates and guides parking, and provides real-time stall management through a cloud-based dashboard.

“As autonomous mobility evolves from pilot to scale, we recognize the importance of preparing our properties with the right infrastructure,” said Andy Hutcherson, Senior Vice President, Innovation and Customer Experience at Simon. “This collaboration with Autolane allows us to integrate advanced curbside technology that enhances operational efficiency, improves the guest experience, and positions our centers to support the next generation of autonomous transportation and delivery.”

Addressing the Autonomous Vehicle Infrastructure Gap

The investment from Draper Associates and Hyperplane comes as autonomous vehicle adoption accelerates nationwide. However, the infrastructure to safely and efficiently manage these vehicles at commercial properties has lagged behind.

"Autonomous vehicles are transforming transportation, but without proper infrastructure at destinations, we risk chaos at the curb," said Tim Draper, Founding Partner at Draper Associates. "Autolane is building the essential layer that connects autonomous vehicles to the places people want to go. Their work with Simon shows how quickly this technology can scale across some of America’s most iconic retail centers."

“Autonomous mobility has transitioned from experimental to inevitable, and the missing piece is infrastructure that can operate at scale,” said Samara Gordon, General Partner at Hyperplane. “Autolane has built the connective tissue that lets autonomous vehicles function in the environments where people and goods move every day. We’re thrilled to partner with the Autolane team as they define the operating system for the autonomous era.”

"This funding and collaboration with Simon validates our vision that the future of retail and autonomous vehicles is inextricably linked," said Ben Seidl, CEO and cofounder of Autolane. "Simon operates some of the most visited shopping destinations in the country—high-traffic environments where our collaboration is solving the critical ‘last fifty feet’ challenge at scale. Our technology creates orchestrated handoff zones that can serve both autonomous ride-hailing passengers and delivery vehicles."

For more information, visit goautolane.com.

About Autolane

Autolane is building the next-generation curbside infrastructure for autonomous vehicles. Founded in 2024, the Palo Alto-based company develops technology that enables retailers, restaurants, and property owners to seamlessly manage autonomous pickup, drop-off, and delivery operations on private property. Autolane's mission is to make curbside autonomy scalable, efficient, and accessible, improving how people and goods move through the world's busiest parking lots and pickup zones. Learn more at www.goautolane.com.

About Simon

Simon^® is a real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations and an S&P 100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE: SPG). Our properties across North America, Europe and Asia provide community gathering places for millions of people every day and generate billions in annual sales.