ClearMotion
ClearMotion is a Tier 1 automotive supplier that builds CM1 fully active suspension hardware with ActiValve actuators and a RoadMotion cloud road-intelligence platform, selling directly to premium and electric vehicle OEMs such as NIO and Porsche.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBillerica, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ClearMotion does
ClearMotion is a privately held Tier 1 automotive technology company headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, that develops and commercializes a software-defined fully active suspension system. Founded in 2012 out of MIT by Zack Anderson and Shak Avadhany, the company spent roughly a decade maturing its CM1 active suspension hardware (corner-mounted ActiValve actuators with integrated sensing, digital control, and millisecond response times) and the companion RoadMotion cloud platform, which crowdsources road-surface data from CM1-equipped vehicles into high-definition surface maps with sub-20mm accuracy.
The company sells CM1 suspension system sets directly to premium automotive OEMs and electric vehicle manufacturers through enterprise field sales, with NIO as the anchor customer (ET9 deliveries in 2025, ES9 SUV production scheduled for Spring 2026) and Porsche as a newly added European luxury partner. Revenue mechanics combine hardware system sales (with a stated backlog exceeding $450M) and an emerging recurring software subscription layer through RoadMotion. ClearMotion operates tri-continentally from a US headquarters and innovation lab, a UK engineering hub at Mira Technology Park, a Shanghai commercial office, and a Changshu, China manufacturing plant that opened in early 2024 with capacity for 250,000+ system sets annually.
ClearMotion has secured the full suite of automotive quality, functional safety, and homologation certifications required for Tier 1 supply (ASIL D, ISO 26262, IATF 16949, ISO 9001) and holds approximately 404 patents and applications protecting its actuator, control, and cloud-platform technology. The business is venture-backed, with NIO Capital, NewView Capital, Sequoia China (HongShan), Franklin Templeton, and JP Morgan among disclosed institutional investors, and cumulative disclosed funding of roughly $113M since 2022.
ClearMotion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ClearMotion
- Legal name
- CLEARMOTION (UK) LTD.
- Website
- https://clearmotion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- ClearMotion is a Tier 1 automotive supplier that builds CM1 fully active suspension hardware with ActiValve actuators and a RoadMotion cloud road-intelligence platform, selling directly to premium and electric vehicle OEMs such as NIO and Porsche.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ClearMotion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Active Suspension Systems
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330), Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (33633), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)
- SIC
- Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Suspension Systems & Components (Springs/Shocks/Struts/Air Suspension) (IMACAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Chassis Mechatronics & Active Dynamics (Active Suspension/Steer-by-Wire/Brake-by-Wire Hardware) (IMACAIAN)
Keywords
Where ClearMotion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Billerica
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
ClearMotion 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, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- CM1 System Sales: Sale of CM1 fully active suspension hardware systems to automotive OEMs. The system includes four ActiValve actuators (one per corner), controllers, and associated software. Revenue recognized upon delivery of production systems, with backlog exceeding $450M in contractual business.
- RoadMotion Cloud Software: In-cloud software subscription for road surface intelligence. The RoadMotion platform crowdsources data from CM1-equipped vehicles to generate high-definition surface maps, providing ongoing intelligence services to OEMs and potentially other stakeholders.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
ClearMotion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ClearMotion develops and commercializes a fully proactive active suspension system (CM1) featuring corner-mounted ActiValve actuators that sense and respond to road conditions in milliseconds. The hardware system is paired with the RoadMotion cloud software platform that crowdsources data from CM1-equipped vehicles to generate high-definition road surface maps for predictive vehicle control. The company sells these integrated hardware-software chassis solutions directly to automotive OEMs as a Tier 1 supplier.
Product overview
ClearMotion offers a unified product architecture combining the CM1 fully active suspension system (hardware) with the RoadMotion cloud software platform. The CM1 system uses corner-mounted ActiValve actuators that work in concert with an intelligent digital controller, while RoadMotion provides crowdsourced road surface intelligence and proactive control capabilities. The two products work seamlessly together — on-car hardware reacts in real-time while in-cloud software enables predictive road surface mapping and fleet-level intelligence. The company also mentions an Active Seat System as part of its product portfolio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CM1 Fully Active Suspension System The world's most advanced fully proactive active suspension system, providing high-bandwidth corner-mounted suspension control with millisecond response times. CM1 combines ActiValve hardware at each corner with an intelligent digital controller that coordinates all four actuators to deliver real-time comfort, safety, and performance optimization. It is sold as a Tier 1 component to automotive OEMs for integration into production vehicle platforms.
- RoadMotion Cloud Software Platform An end-to-end cloud-based software solution that crowdsources CM1 data from equipped vehicles to generate high-definition road surface maps. RoadMotion provides proactive intelligence by enabling vehicles to anticipate and prepare for road events before encountering them, with location accuracy of better than 20mm. Sold as a subscription-based intelligence service to automotive OEMs and other stakeholders.
Quantifiable outcome
- 42% potential travel sickness reduction
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use ClearMotion
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ClearMotion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature4 records
ClearMotion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered major and flagship.
- PorschemajorTechnical collaboration with Porsche announced in 2024, expanding ClearMotion's technology adoption within high-performance vehicle line-ups.
- NIOflagshipStrategic partnership established in 2021 with NIO for active suspension technology. ClearMotion was selected to supply CM1 for NIO's next-generation chassis platform, including ET9 (delivery 2025) and ES9 (production Spring 2026). William Li, CEO of NIO, stated: 'I am thrilled to be the first manufacturer to bring CM1 to market.'
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ClearMotion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BWI Group: BWI Group (formerly Delphi Chassis) is the supplier of MagneRide magnetorheological active suspension, the closest direct competitor to ClearMotion's CM1 in the high-bandwidth active-suspension category for premium OEMs. BWI sells to GM and others and is the most analogous technology/product peer.
- Multimatic: Multimatic designs and manufactures DSSV dampers and active suspension systems for high-performance and premium OEMs (e.g., Ford GT, Aston Martin), making it a close peer in the active-suspension-for-luxury-and-performance segment that ClearMotion's Porsche collaboration targets.
- Mando Corporation: Mando is a Korea-based Tier 1 supplying active and semi-active suspension, brakes, and steering to Hyundai, Kia, and global OEMs. It is a direct peer in active suspension hardware, especially relevant given ClearMotion's EV-OEM focus.
- KYB Corporation: KYB is a Japanese Tier 1 hydraulic and active-suspension specialist (e.g., Honda's adaptive dampers) with a comparable product overlap to ClearMotion's ActiValve-based active suspension. KYB competes for the same premium/EV OEM chassis business in Asia and globally.
- Öhlins (Brembo): Öhlins, owned by Brembo, is a specialist in high-end active and semi-active suspension for premium and motorsport vehicles. It is a direct peer in performance-oriented active suspension technology, directly relevant to ClearMotion's Porsche/high-performance positioning.
Broad incumbents
- ZF Friedrichshafen: ZF is a global Tier 1 with active chassis systems (active damping, semi-active/active suspension) and bundles them with steering, braking and ADAS — a broad incumbent competing for the same OEM chassis wallet as ClearMotion. ZF is also ClearMotion VP Engineering Abhi Rangineni's prior employer, reflecting how directly they compete for talent and contracts.
- Continental AG: Continental supplies active and semi-active suspension systems within a broad chassis & safety portfolio and is the most direct analog to ClearMotion's combined actuator + software stack. ClearMotion's CEO Christian Steinmann is ex-Continental, and Continental remains a benchmark customer-relationship competitor in chassis electronics.
- Tenneco (DRiV): Tenneco's DRiV division (now Apollo-owned) sells Monroe intelligent / continuously controlled semi-active and active suspension, often bundled with ride-control and emissions products. It is a broad incumbent competitor in ride dynamics to ClearMotion's CM1.
- Hitachi Astemo: Hitachi Astemo (Honda-affiliated Tier 1) supplies active suspension and chassis electronics within a broad powertrain and ADAS portfolio, competing with ClearMotion for OEM chassis design wins, particularly in Japanese and EV platforms.
- Hyundai Mobis: Hyundai Mobis is a major Korean Tier 1 with active suspension and integrated chassis modules for Hyundai/Kia and external customers. It is a broad incumbent peer that, like ClearMotion, targets EV-native platforms with software-rich chassis features.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ClearMotion social profiles
Digital presenceClearMotion compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
ClearMotion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ClearMotion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
ClearMotion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds11 records
Investors18 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ClearMotion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ClearMotion
What does ClearMotion do?
ClearMotion develops and commercializes a fully proactive active suspension system (CM1) featuring corner-mounted ActiValve actuators that sense and respond to road conditions in milliseconds. The hardware system is paired with the RoadMotion cloud software platform that crowdsources data from CM1-equipped vehicles to generate high-definition road surface maps for predictive vehicle control. The company sells these integrated hardware-software chassis solutions directly to automotive OEMs as a Tier 1 supplier.
Is ClearMotion a public or private company?
ClearMotion is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was ClearMotion founded?
ClearMotion was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is ClearMotion based?
ClearMotion is headquartered in Billerica, United States, in the North America region.
How does ClearMotion make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. CM1 System Sales are the primary driver. The others are roadMotion Cloud Software.
Who are ClearMotion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BWI Group, Multimatic, Mando Corporation, KYB Corporation and Öhlins (Brembo). Broad incumbents are ZF Friedrichshafen, Continental AG, Tenneco (DRiV), Hitachi Astemo and Hyundai Mobis.
Does ClearMotion have an API?
No public API is recorded for ClearMotion.
What industry is ClearMotion in?
ClearMotion's product category is Automotive Active Suspension Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAIAA, Suspension Systems & Components (Springs/Shocks/Struts/Air Suspension), with a secondary code of IMACAIAN, Chassis Mechatronics & Active Dynamics (Active Suspension/Steer-by-Wire/Brake-by-Wire Hardware). Its NAICS code is 336330 and its SIC code is 3613.