Self Inspection, a San Diego-based startup, has raised $3 million in a seed round to expand its AI-powered vehicle inspection platform. The investment, co-led by Costanoa Ventures and DVx Ventures—run by former Tesla president Jon McNeill—aims to streamline inspections for auto lenders, dealerships, and rental companies. Westlake Financial, a major auto loan provider, also participated in the round and is integrating Self Inspection’s technology across its operations.
- Funding: Raised $3M seed round led by Costanoa Ventures and DVx Ventures, with participation from Westlake Financial.
- Technology: AI-powered inspections use smartphone cameras, eliminating the need for on-site visits.
- Customers: Avis, CarOffer, and Westlake Financial already use the platform for vehicle condition reports.
- Market Impact: Targets the $30B vehicle inspection industry by improving speed, accuracy, and cost efficiency.
Unlike competitors requiring specialized hardware, Self Inspection’s software relies on a smartphone camera and AI models trained on one of the industry’s largest datasets of damaged vehicles. The system automatically detects damage, assesses severity, and generates a detailed repair estimate, producing a report comparable to those from professional body shops.
CEO Constantine Yaremtso describes the service as highly configurable, allowing clients to tailor inspection workflows to their needs. “Everyone has a good phone and knows how to take photos,” Yaremtso said, emphasizing ease of use. Instead of requiring a standalone app, users access inspections via a web link, making it frictionless for car buyers, sellers, and fleet managers.
Westlake Financial, which processes over a million vehicle transactions annually, has already integrated Self Inspection to improve valuation accuracy and risk management. Avis and CarOffer are also using the platform to expedite car transactions and reduce disputes.
The funding will support product development and AI enhancements, as Self Inspection looks to scale its technology further in the $30 billion vehicle inspection market.