San Diego-based Self Inspection, a startup revolutionizing AI-powered vehicle inspections, has secured $3 million in seed funding.
The round was co-led by Costanoa Ventures and DVx Ventures, the investment firm founded by former Tesla president Jon McNeill. Westlake Financial, a company managing over a million vehicle transactions annually, also participated in the round.
Bringing AI to Vehicle Inspections
Founded in 2021, Self Inspection provides an AI-driven, smartphone-based vehicle inspection system that simplifies and accelerates the traditional assessment process for:
- Auto lenders
- Dealerships
- Rental companies
Instead of requiring drive-through scanners or expensive hardware, Self Inspection’s technology relies solely on a smartphone camera and, optionally, vehicle data from the OBD2 port. The company’s AI, trained on one of the largest datasets of damaged vehicles, can quickly:
- Detect and assess damage severity
- Estimate repair costs
- Generate a detailed vehicle inspection report
According to CEO Constantine Yaremtso, the platform delivers a PDF report comparable to a body shop’s assessment, detailing necessary labor, repair costs, and required parts.
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A Competitive Edge in the Market
Self Inspection stands out from competitors like UVeye, which raised $191 million for drive-through AI inspections, by offering a more accessible, mobile-first solution. Unlike similar services, Self Inspection:
- Does not require users to stand at a specific distance when capturing images.
- Works entirely through a web browser, eliminating the need for a standalone app.
- Integrates seamlessly into customer workflows via text or email links for easy access.
This flexibility allows businesses to customize inspection criteria—for example, ensuring EV charging cables are present in electric vehicle assessments.
Scaling with Fresh Capital
With its new funding, Self Inspection plans to:
- Expand its operations and client base.
- Enhance its AI capabilities to improve damage detection accuracy.
- Grow its engineering and product teams to support increased demand.
The company already counts Avis and CarOffer (a CarGurus subsidiary) among its customers, alongside Westlake Financial.
A Game-Changer for the $30B Vehicle Inspection Industry
With the global vehicle inspection market valued at $30 billion, investors believe Self Inspection has the potential to set a new industry standard.
Karim Bousta, Partner at DVx Ventures, highlighted the company’s disruptive potential:
“Self Inspection streamlines operations for auto lenders, dealerships, and rental companies while setting a new benchmark for quality, reliability, and user experience.”
By combining AI-powered damage detection with a frictionless user experience, Self Inspection is poised to transform how vehicles are inspected, making the process faster, more accurate, and accessible to all.
