AI Tech / news
Rivian acquires UK world-model startup Third Dimension to speed self-driving work
Rivian has bought Third Dimension, a 15-person British startup that uses AI to convert images and video into lifelike 3D environments. The electric vehicle maker plans to use the technology as a simulator to speed development of its driver-assistance features and robotaxi self-driving system.
The deal brings Third Dimension's entire team, most of them based in the United Kingdom, into Rivian's autonomy and AI division, which is led by James Philbin. Financial terms were not disclosed. Philbin said in an interview that the purchase also creates an opening for Rivian to grow its AI hub in London.
Third Dimension was founded in 2024 by chief executive Tolga Kart and Piotr Sokólski, drawing on backgrounds in gaming and autonomous vehicles. It had raised $7 million in seed funding from investors including Abstract Ventures, MVP, Soma Capital and Solari Capital.
Its core product was built to shorten video game production cycles by generating realistic 3D scenes from ordinary imagery, but the founders identified other uses spanning defense and automated driving. Under Rivian, the team's work will concentrate on self-driving applications.
Rivian does not intend to enter the games business. Instead, it wants to pair Third Dimension's world-modeling tools with its own stores of real-world driving data, turning that footage into simulated 3D environments that could serve as a testing and development ground.
The acquisition is aimed at two programs: Rivian's advanced driver-assistance features and the self-driving system for the robotaxis the company plans to supply to Uber. Rivian currently offers "Universal Hands-Free" software, which allows drivers to remove their hands from the wheel on highways while remaining attentive to the road.