Cepton
Cepton develops lidar sensors and perception software for automotive ADAS, autonomous vehicles, and smart infrastructure, using its patented Micro Motion Technology architecture. It served global OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and infrastructure operators before being acquired by Koito Manufacturing in January 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cepton does
Cepton, founded in 2016 in San Jose, California, develops lidar sensors and perception software for automotive and smart infrastructure applications. Its product portfolio spans long-range automotive lidar (Vista-X series including the flagship Vista-X120 Plus and Vista-Ultra with 200m range, 120° FOV, and under 18W power), near-range lidar (Nova and Nova Ultra with up to 1.3M points per second), high-speed line scanners for tolling (Sora family at up to 380Hz), and the Helius perception software for real-time object detection, tracking, and classification. The company's differentiation rests on its patented Micro Motion Technology (MMT), a mirrorless, frictionless, rotation-free beam-steering architecture, extended by the MagnoSteer imaging platform and the proprietary Komodo point cloud processor ASIC. ISO-26262 ASIL-B compliance positions its flagship sensors for automotive ADAS programs.
Cepton generated revenue through hardware sales across its Vista, Nova, and Sora product lines, software licensing for Helius and StudioViz, and technology licensing to partners — most notably Koito Manufacturing, which held non-exclusive manufacturing rights and ultimately acquired the company on January 7, 2025. The company secured the industry's largest ADAS lidar series production win with a leading Detroit-based global automotive OEM, alongside deployments in autonomous shuttles (May Mobility), smart-city intersections (ALP.Lab), airport operations (Tampa International Airport via The Indoor Lab), and highway tolling. Distribution combined direct OEM engagement with Tier 1 and channel partnerships, including Fabrinet for manufacturing scale, Dataspeed for AV integration, and dSPACE for simulation. The company went public via SPAC merger in February 2022 on Nasdaq as CPTN before being taken private by Koito in early 2025.
The business was small and pre-mass-commercialization: 51-100 employees, global footprint across the US (San Jose HQ and Detroit engineering), Germany, the UK, and Canada, and a customer base spanning automotive OEMs, transportation operators, and smart-city integrators. Following Koito's acquisition, Cepton operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Japanese Tier 1 supplier, with multiple securities class action lawsuits subsequently filed alleging the board failed to disclose a higher third-party bid during the merger process.
Cepton firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cepton
- Legal name
- Cepton, Inc.
- Website
- https://cepton.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cepton develops lidar sensors and perception software for automotive ADAS, autonomous vehicles, and smart infrastructure, using its patented Micro Motion Technology architecture. It served global OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and infrastructure operators before being acquired by Koito Manufacturing in January 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cepton industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Lidar Sensors
- NAICS
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- LiDAR & 3D Sensing Modules (HDAHALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Active Safety Sensing Hardware Manufacturing (Radar/LiDAR/Cameras/Ultrasonic) (IMACAMAF), Imaging Sensors (CMOS/CCD/ToF/Depth) (HDAHALAF)
Keywords
Where Cepton is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Cepton business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Lidar Hardware Sales: Sale of lidar sensors including Vista, Nova, and Sora product lines for automotive, smart infrastructure, and industrial applications.
- Software and Perception Solutions: Sale of software products including Helius perception software, StudioViz simulator, and related perception and analytics solutions.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of lidar sensor designs to partners such as Koito for manufacturing and distribution in specific applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Volume pricing for ADAS applications |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cepton product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cepton designs and manufactures high-performance lidar sensors (Vista, Nova, and Sora product lines) along with perception software (Helius) and a lidar simulator (StudioViz). Its products serve automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers for ADAS and autonomous driving, as well as smart infrastructure applications such as tolling, traffic management, security, and crowd analytics. Core hardware leverages Cepton's patented Micro Motion Technology (MMT) and MagnoSteer imaging architecture.
Product overview
Cepton offers a comprehensive portfolio of lidar-based products and solutions for automotive and smart infrastructure applications. The product lineup consists of hardware lidar sensors (Vista-X series for long-range automotive, Nova for near-range, Sora for line scanning) and software solutions (Helius perception system, StudioViz simulator). The Vista-X120 Plus represents the flagship top-end automotive lidar, while Nova serves near-range sensing needs. Helius provides AI-powered perception software that processes lidar data for detection, tracking and classification. StudioViz enables simulation-based development. Products leverage Cepton's proprietary Micro Motion Technology (MMT) and MagnoSteer imaging technology platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Helius: Smart Lidar System - a combination of lidar technology, edge computing and advanced perception software for real-time object detection, tracking and classification
- Vista
- Nova
- Sora
- StudioViz
- Ultra
- Komodo
- Vista-X120 Plus
- MMT (Micro Motion Technology)
Quantifiable outcome
- 200m detection range at 10% reflectivity
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Cepton
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cepton technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
AI capability2 records
Feature8 records
Cepton partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and flagship.
- TE ConnectivityminorJoint V2X proof of concept 'Periscope' with ALP.Lab and TE Connectivity to enable vehicles to look around corners using lidar.
- FabrinetflagshipPartnership with Fabrinet to deliver flagship automotive lidar program, leveraging Fabrinet's manufacturing expertise for automotive-grade lidar production.
- ams OSRAMminorams OSRAM's 905nm lasers selected to fulfill large-scale contract for lidar solutions in ADAS and autonomous vehicles.
- VortexminorPartnership to enable V2I solutions with smart lidar and AI for traffic management and safety applications.
- BelamminorPartnership to enable safety at high-traffic railway level crossings. Belam is a Baltic/Nordic integrator with expertise in sensors and lidar for smart infrastructure.
- TOP-electronicsminorPartnership to serve a global customer base for intelligent lidar solutions.
- DataspeedflagshipPartnership for complete autonomous R&D vehicle integration solutions. Dataspeed provides drive-by-wire kits enabling seamless integration of Cepton's compact lidars in autonomous vehicles. Won 2020 AVT ACES Award.
- Barrier1 SystemsminorPartnership to deploy state-of-the-art lidar-based security and safety systems for global customers in government and critical infrastructure markets.
- Red Fox IDminorPartnership to enable barrier-free, high-speed tolling worldwide with high performance lidar-based solutions.
- ALP.LabminorDeployment of lidar intelligence to enable smart intersections and road safety in Europe.
- The Indoor LabminorWorld-class lidar crowd analytics solution partnership to transform smart spaces with anonymized crowd perception for airports and venues.
- Wideye (AGC)minorPartnership to enable lidar integration behind automotive windshields, glass trims, and other locations fitted with glass covers using Wideye's infrared transparent glass solutions.
- May MobilityflagshipMay Mobility uses Cepton lidars in autonomous shuttles providing daily transit services in major metropolitan areas, transforming cities through autonomous technology.
- MH CorbinminorPartnership to integrate Cepton lidars with MH Corbin's CONNECT:ITS system for advanced roadside information monitoring including road ice, visibility, and wrong-way driving warnings.
- INITminorJoint development of smart platform solution for railway stations to provide greater security to boarding and disembarking passengers.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cepton competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Luminar Technologies: Luminar is a direct lidar competitor focused on long-range automotive lidar for ADAS and autonomous driving with major OEM partnerships (Volvo, Mercedes-Benz). Comparable in target customer (global automotive OEMs), product category (long-range automotive lidar), and business model (hardware + software/perception stack).
- Innoviz Technologies: Innoviz is a direct competitor supplying automotive-grade lidar (Innoviz One, Innoviz Two) for ADAS and autonomous applications with BMW as a flagship series-production customer. Comparable in product (long-range MEMS-based lidar for OEMs), customer base (premium OEMs), and ASP targets.
- Hesai Group: Hesai is a leading automotive and robotics lidar supplier, publicly traded and at significantly higher scale than Cepton, with major OEM wins in China and globally. Comparable in product (mechanical and automotive-grade solid-state lidar), customer base (OEMs and robotaxi/fleet operators), and cost-down roadmap.
- Aeva Technologies: Aeva develops FMCW lidar-on-chip technology for automotive and industrial applications, comparable to Cepton in target market (automotive OEMs, smart infrastructure) and stage (public, pre-scale). Differentiated technology approach but directly competitive for OEM design wins.
- RoboSense: RoboSense is a Chinese automotive and robotics lidar supplier with broad OEM and robotaxi adoption. Comparable in product portfolio (long-range, near-range, and mechanical lidar) and in serving both automotive and smart infrastructure markets.
Broad incumbents
- Valeo SA: Valeo is a global automotive Tier 1 with the SCALA lidar as the first series-produced automotive lidar (with Audi/Mercedes). Comparable as an automotive-grade lidar supplier for OEM ADAS programs, but operates at vastly larger scale and across a much broader ADAS portfolio beyond lidar.
- Bosch: Bosch is a global Tier 1 supplier that has developed automotive lidar sensors for ADAS applications. Comparable in OEM customer base and automotive-grade functional safety expectations, but with a vastly broader sensing and ADAS portfolio that competes across Cepton's addressable market.
- Mobileye: Mobileye offers camera-based ADAS with increasing emphasis on lidar-augmented sensing solutions for OEM ADAS programs. Comparable as a competing sensing solution provider for automotive OEMs evaluating lidar as part of ADAS suites; broader portfolio creates both an incumbent threat and a potential partner/acquirer.
Emerging players
- Ouster: Ouster (now merged with Velodyne) supplies digital lidar for industrial automation, smart infrastructure, and automotive applications. Comparable in smart infrastructure and industrial market focus and in offering a full-stack perception software layer (Ouster Gemini), though primarily mechanical/spinning lidar vs. Cepton's mirrorless MMT.
- MicroVision: MicroVision develops MEMS-based automotive lidar targeting ADAS and autonomous vehicle applications. Comparable in product category (long-range automotive lidar), customer profile (OEMs and Tier 1s), and pre-scale operational profile, though with a different beam-steering architecture than Cepton's MMT.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cepton social profiles
Digital presenceCepton compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Cepton financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cepton leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Cepton funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cepton M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cepton
What does Cepton do?
Cepton designs and manufactures high-performance lidar sensors (Vista, Nova, and Sora product lines) along with perception software (Helius) and a lidar simulator (StudioViz). Its products serve automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers for ADAS and autonomous driving, as well as smart infrastructure applications such as tolling, traffic management, security, and crowd analytics. Core hardware leverages Cepton's patented Micro Motion Technology (MMT) and MagnoSteer imaging architecture.
Is Cepton a public or private company?
Cepton is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Cepton founded?
Cepton was founded in 2016. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cepton based?
Cepton is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cepton make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Lidar Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are software and Perception Solutions and technology Licensing.
Who are Cepton's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Luminar Technologies, Innoviz Technologies, Hesai Group, Aeva Technologies and RoboSense. Broad incumbents are Valeo SA, Bosch and Mobileye. Emerging players are Ouster and MicroVision.
Does Cepton have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cepton.
What industry is Cepton in?
Cepton's product category is Automotive Lidar Sensors. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHALAG, LiDAR & 3D Sensing Modules, with a secondary code of IMACAMAF, Active Safety Sensing Hardware Manufacturing (Radar/LiDAR/Cameras/Ultrasonic). Its NAICS code is 33451 and its SIC code is 3823.