SoftBank just bet $200 million on excavators that drive themselves

Gravis Robotics announced on 17 August that SoftBank is investing $200 million in its Series A. The Zurich-based company said it will use the funding to expand its construction-autonomy systems globally. Gravis called the round the largest Series A in construction robotics history; that ranking is the company’s claim.

Gravis builds sensor and AI systems that can be fitted to conventional excavators and other construction machinery. ETH Zurich, where the company began as a spin-off, says the technology can assist an operator or let a machine perform certain tasks autonomously. The university reported that Gravis plans to expand its team and deploy the system on more machines and sites.

The approach targets contractors’ existing fleets rather than requiring them to buy purpose-built autonomous machines. The funding announcement sets out a scaling plan; it does not mean every construction task or excavator is now autonomous.