Electric trucking startup Harbinger has acquired the autonomous driving software company Phantom AI. This move is part of an effort to vertically integrate more technology and create new revenue streams for the young company.
The acquisition is Harbinger’s first and supports the startup’s plan to expand its portfolio beyond the electric truck chassis it has been building and selling for the last year. This strategy follows another recent expansion; last month, Harbinger announced it would start selling its battery packs for energy storage and auxiliary power, with Airstream as the first customer.
Harbinger has already lined up a customer for the advanced driver assistance technology it acquired from Phantom. The German automotive technology giant ZF Group has agreed to license that technology from Harbinger and plans to sell it to automakers for use in passenger cars. The financial terms of this deal and the acquisition were not disclosed.
Harbinger co-founder and CEO John Harris stated that he expects this new software services business to generate millions of dollars in revenue this year. He noted this amount is mostly not material compared to the revenue from selling truck chassis. The startup recently raised 160 million dollars in a funding round co-led by FedEx and THOR Industries, both of which are customers.
Harris expects the deal with ZF Group to bring in more significant revenue in 2027 or 2028. He explained that while the passenger car market is slower, the volumes are very large.
Harbinger was already using Phantom AI’s driver assistance technology, and the acquisition will deepen that integration. Harris expects this to be a major benefit for Harbinger’s own customers. He highlighted a significant gap in the medium-duty trucking market, noting a complete lack of modern safety features. He stated that the majority of medium-duty vehicles on the road have no backup cameras, no lane keeping, and no automatic emergency braking.
Harbinger already promises commercial customers a lower total cost of ownership, better emissions compliance, and an easier truck to drive due to its electric powertrain. Harris believes the safety features enabled by Phantom’s technology will make Harbinger’s chassis even more compelling. This is especially important given how these vehicles are typically used, navigating truck ports and neighborhoods where there is a high safety risk.
Harris argued that these trucks should at least have the safety features that were standard in passenger cars by 2015 or 2020.
While Harbinger is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Phantom AI’s 30 employees, including its leadership team, will remain in Mountain View.