Obvio's stop sign cameras use AI to root out unsafe drivers
American streets are incredibly dangerous for pedestrians. A San Carlos, California-based startup called Obvio thinks it can change that by installing cameras at stop signs -- a solution the founders also say won't create a panopticon.
That's a bold claim at a time when other companies like Flock have been criticized for how its license plate-reading cameras have become a crucial tool in an overreaching surveillance state.
Obvio founders Ali Rehan and Dhruv Maheshwari believe they can build a big enough business without indulging those worst impulses. They've designed the product with surveillance and data-sharing limitations to ensure they can follow through with that claim.
They've found deep pockets willing to believe them, too. The company has just completed a $22 million Series A funding round led by Bain Capital Ventures. Obvio plans to use those funds to expand beyond the first five cities where it's currently operating in Maryland.
Rehan and Maheshwari met while working at Motive, a company that makes dashboard cameras for the trucking industry. While there, Maheshwari told TechCrunch the pair realized 'a lot of other normal passenger vehicles are awful drivers.'
The founders said they were stunned the more they looked into road safety. Not only were streets and crosswalks getting more dangerous for pedestrians, but in their eyes, the U.S. was also falling behind on enforcement.
'Most other countries are actually pretty good at this,' Maheshwari said. 'They have speed camera technology. They have a good culture of driving safety. The U.S. is actually one of the worst across all the modern nations.'
Maheshwari and Rehan began studying up on road safety by reading books and attending conferences. They found that people in the industry gravitated toward three general solutions: education, engineering, and enforcement.
In their eyes, those approaches were often too separated from each other. It's hard to quantify the impact of educational efforts. Local officials may try to fix a problematic intersection by, say, installing a roundabout, but that can take years of work and millions of dollars. And law enforcement can't camp out at every stop sign.
Rehan and Maheshwari saw promise in combining them.
The result is a pylon (often brightly-colored) topped with a solar-powered camera that can be installed near almost any intersection. It's designed not to blend in -- part of the education and awareness aspect -- and it's also carefully engineered to be cheap and easy to install.
The on-device AI is trained to spot the worst types of stop sign or other infractions. (The company also claims on its website it can catch speeding, crosswalk violations, illegal turns, unsafe lane changes, and even distracted driving.) When one of these things happen, the system matches a car's license plate to the state's DMV database.
All of that information -- the accuracy of the violation, the license plate -- is verified by either Obvio staff or contractors before it's sent to law enforcement, which then has to review the infractions before issuing a citation.
Obvio gives the tech to municipalities for free and makes money from the citations. Exactly how that citation revenue will get split between Obvio and the governments will vary from place to place, as Maheshwari said regulations about such agreements differ by state.
That clearly creates an incentive for increasing the number of citations. But Rehan and Maheshwari said they can build a business around stopping the worst offenses across a wide swath of American cities. They also said they want Obvio to remain present in -- and responsive to -- the communities that use their tech.
'Automated enforcement should be used in conjunction with community advocacy and community support, it shouldn't be this camera that you put up that does revenue grab[s] and gotchas,' Maheshwari said. The goal is to 'start using these cameras in a way to warn and deter the most egregious drivers [so] you can actually create communitywide support and behavior change.'
Cities and their citizens 'need to trust us,' Maheshwari said.
There's also a technological explanation for why Obvio's cameras may not become an overpowered surveillance tool for law enforcement beyond their intended use.
Obvio's camera pylon records and processes its footage locally. It's only when a violation is spotted that the footage leaves the device. Otherwise, all other footage of vehicles and pedestrians passing through a given intersection stays on the device for about 12 hours before it gets deleted. (The footage is also technically owned by the municipalities, which have remote access.)
This doesn't eliminate the chance that law enforcement will use the footage to surveil citizens in other ways. But it does reduce that chance.
That focus is what drove Bain Capital Ventures partner Ajay Agarwal to invest in Obvio.
'Yes, in the short term, you can maximize profits, and erode those values, but I think over time, it will limit the ability of this company to be ubiquitous. It'll create enemies or create people who don't want this,' he told TechCrunch. 'Great founders are willing to sacrifice entire lines of business, frankly, and lots of revenue, in pursuit of the ultimate mission.'
This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/04/obvios-stop-sign-cameras-use-ai-to-root-out-unsafe-drivers/
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Accounting Firm Growth Spurned by Acquisitions, Global Expansion and New Services
For Southern California's many accounting firms, acquisitions have been a means of expansion as the industry consolidates to streamline operations and enhanced technology. Over the past year, a flurry of acquisitions has also been supplemented by new offerings, such as legal services and global expansion with employees in foreign countries that provide services to support U.S. operations. One of the largest mergers of the past year was CBIZ's $2.3-billion acquisition of Marcum LLP, which closed on November 1. The combined firm is expected to have combined annualized revenue of approximately $2.8 billion. Smaller firms have also been the targets of acquisition as aging partners seek exit plans and firms utilize artificial intelligence and offshore resources to optimize operations. It's a trend that mirrors the wider business climate, according to Aldrich CPAs + Advisors. The firm conducted a survey of more than 100 owners and executives at private companies in California, Oregon and Washington and found that 61% received at least one unsolicited offer to be purchased within the past 12 months, and nearly a quarter of those surveyed received three or more unsolicited offers. Competition to acquire accounting firms has been fierce, but local firms have been able to execute mergers despite interest from national firms. In October, GHJ Accounting, Tax and Advisory Firm acquired Los Angeles-based GGF, which provides audit, tax and consulting services to entrepreneurial businesses and individuals. 'We are proud to integrate GGF into the GHJ family to strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional value to our clients. Their strong client relationships and tailored approach make them a perfect strategic fit for our firm,' said Tom Barry, GHJ managing partner, in a statement. Firms are also expanding by adding new services beyond traditional audit and tax advisory. Two firms quickly took advantage of an Arizona Supreme Court ruling in 2021 that allowed nonlawyers to have an economic interest in law firms under the state's Alternative Business Structure program. The Arizona Supreme Court granted a special license to Big Four firm KPMG to operate a law firm in February. In addition to KPMG, Aprio acquired Radix Law, a Scottsdale-based firm, and launched Aprio Legal in February under the alternative business structure. However, a state law proposed in California may limit the impact of the Arizona ruling. Assembly Bill 931 would prohibit California attorneys from sharing legal fees with out-of-state firms operating under alternative business structures such as those that exist in Arizona and Utah, where non-lawyers, including private equity firms and corporations, may invest in or own law firms. Aprio's addition of a law firm complements its nationwide acquisition spree that included Woodland Hills firm Kirsch Kohn & Bridge in November. The Kirsch Kohn & Bridge acquisition added five partners and more than 30 local professionals. Nationally, it has expanded its footprint with firms in Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Denver and Chicago. Plus, it added cybersecurity firm Securitybricks. Firms have also expanded their reach globally by opening new offices worldwide to support operations. For example, Weaver credited its West Coast growth partly due to long-term progress reflected by the firm's global footprint and official expansion into India. It opened four new offices since the beginning of 2025 in India: Kochi, Coimbatore and Bengaluru opened in January, while Weaver's Chennai office opened in March. At Long Beach-based Windes, local tax partner Guy Nicio, who serves on the firm's board of directors, leads its growing Philippines team, which provides employee support and client services. HCVT continued to invest in its Armenia operations, reinforcing a commitment to build infrastructure that supports future growth.
Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
Key Home Goods Unveils Limited Edition Cutting Board Collection: Where Functional Art Meets Heritage Craftsmanship
DALLAS, June 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Key Home Goods , a design-forward brand rooted in old-world craftsmanship and modern heritage, proudly announces the release of its Signature Collection, a limited-edition series of artisan-crafted end-grain cutting boards and designer charcuterie boards that merge timeless form with everyday function. Key Home Goods Signature Collection houndstooth cutting board. Each piece in the collection is meticulously handcrafted from American hardwoods, finished with a blend of food-safe oils and waxes, and showcases the brand's distinctive proprietary houndstooth patterns, a visual hallmark that has become synonymous with Key Home Goods. With production strictly limited, every board is reserved for those who seek beauty, exclusivity, and purpose in all that they do. At the heart of this launch is Andrew Key, a seventh-generation Texan, fine woodworker, and the founder of Key Home Goods. What began in 2019 as a pair of custom end-grain cutting boards made as wedding gifts for lifelong friends has grown into a full-fledged pursuit of heirloom craftsmanship. 'I never set out to start just another cutting board company,' says Andrew. 'I wanted to create something truly extraordinary, pieces to be cherished, passed down, and appreciated for both their function and elegance.' The Signature Collection represents more than kitchen tools; it's functional art, thoughtfully designed to elevate the rituals of cooking and gathering. Each board is book-matched for visual harmony, then assembled into a composition that's as structurally resilient as it is visually stunning, honoring the heritage of end-grain cutting boards while pioneering new ground in their design. 'Every board is made slowly, with intention,' Andrew explains. 'Owning a Key Home Goods board is an invitation to savor life's richest moments. A centerpiece for gatherings and a canvas for creating memories with those you love. No two are alike, but every one is designed to be the best board you'll ever own, and the last one you'll ever need.' The Signature Collection is available exclusively at , with early access to new releases offered to registered collectors. Each board ships in custom packaging and includes access to the brand's white-glove support and timeless warranty, known as the Timeless Guarantee. Media Contact:Andrew KeyKey Home Goods [email protected]
Wall Street Journal
an hour ago
- Wall Street Journal
Ordinary Investors Are Souring on Big Tech
Patricia Andrews plugged tens of thousands of dollars into two tech-focused mutual funds during April's market turmoil. Now that those shares have rebounded, she's unloading most of them. 'I feel like they're probably running out of steam,' said the 60-year-old entrepreneur based in Cedarville, Calif. She plans to invest the profits in a different pair of funds focused on international companies. 'Knowing that it's still a really volatile market, it just makes me say, 'I've made enough on these.''
