Smartcar
Smartcar provides a unified API platform enabling developers and mobility businesses to integrate with 40+ vehicle brands through standardized data retrieval, remote vehicle commands, and OAuth2-based consent management, serving energy, auto services, ride-hailing, insurance, and fleet customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMountain View, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Smartcar does
Smartcar is a unified API platform for connected vehicles, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, with a remote-first workforce of 101–250 employees distributed across the United States and the United Kingdom. The platform enables developers and mobility businesses to integrate with electric, hybrid, and gas vehicles through a single connection covering 40+ automakers and 30+ countries, replacing the need to build and maintain dozens of OEM-specific integrations. Its product surface is organized around three core products — Signals (real-time vehicle data retrieval via webhooks), Commands (remote vehicle control including charging, lock/unlock, and destination), and Smartcar Connect (OAuth2-based user consent) — supported by a Compatibility API, standardized signal schema introduced in API V3, and SDKs across major server and mobile languages.
The company's core technology combines OAuth2-based application-level authentication with a webhooks-first data delivery architecture, enabling real-time streaming of OEM-grade vehicle data without polling. API V3 (announced April 2026) replaced per-vehicle tokens with application-level tokens valid for one hour, introduced a unified signal schema across all OEMs, and added endpoints for webhook and command management. Smartcar is SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and GDPR compliant across all pricing tiers, a positioning aimed at utility, public sector, and European enterprise buyers.
Commercially, Smartcar operates a hybrid model: a self-serve developer motion with a free tier and a Build tier starting at $1.99 per vehicle per application per month, layered with usage-based Command API charges and custom enterprise pricing for larger deployments. Customers span energy management (Bidgely, Optiwatt, BluWave-ai, Wallbox, Oati), ride-hailing (Uber, Lyft), EV charging (ChargePoint, Wallbox), insurance (The Floow), and public-sector road usage charging (Emovis), with ride-hailing and energy management representing the most visible verticals. To date Smartcar has raised $36 million from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), New Enterprise Associates (NEA), and Energize Ventures, led by the January 2022 Series B of $24 million.
Smartcar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smartcar
- Legal name
- Smartcar
- Website
- https://smartcar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Smartcar provides a unified API platform enabling developers and mobility businesses to integrate with 40+ vehicle brands through standardized data retrieval, remote vehicle commands, and OAuth2-based consent management, serving energy, auto services, ride-hailing, insurance, and fleet customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smartcar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Connected Vehicle API Platform
- akta.pro primary industry
- Video Telematics, ADAS & AI Dashcams (TLAEAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fleet Access & Keyless Systems (Digital Keys, Telematics-Enabled Access Control) (TLABALAI)
Keywords
Where Smartcar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mountain View
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Smartcar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Per-vehicle subscription: Pricing based on number of connected vehicles. Free tier includes 1 connected vehicle, Build tier at $1.99/vehicle/application/month with up to 100 connected vehicles, custom plans for enterprise.
- Command API usage: Command API calls incur usage-based charges. Build plan includes 100 commands/month shared across all vehicles, additional commands may incur overages.
- Enterprise custom pricing: Custom tier with tiered usage-based pricing, volume discounts, SLAs, certifications, and tailored Command API calls for scaling organizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier for individuals exploring Smartcar API |
| Subscription | Monthly | Recommended plan for startups and growing businesses |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Custom enterprise plans for scaling organizations |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Smartcar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smartcar provides a unified API platform for connected vehicles, enabling developers and mobility businesses to integrate with electric, hybrid, and gas vehicles across 40+ automakers. The platform offers standardized data retrieval (Signals), remote vehicle control (Commands), and OAuth2-based consent management (Connect) through a single integration with webhooks-first real-time delivery.
Product overview
Smartcar is a unified API platform for connected vehicles that provides developer tools to integrate with electric, hybrid, and gas vehicles. The product portfolio centers on the core API platform with three primary product areas: Signals (data retrieval for vehicle state data), Commands (remote vehicle control), and Connect (OAuth2-based consent management). Supporting platform features include Vehicle management, Analytics, Teams collaboration, Global coverage (40+ brands across 30+ countries), and Data security/compliance. The platform uses webhooks-first architecture for real-time data delivery and offers SDKs for multiple programming languages. Pricing tiers include Free (1 vehicle, limited features), Build ($1.99/vehicle/month for startups), and Custom Enterprise plans with advanced features like AI Docs Search and Smart Chat.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Signals Vehicle data retrieval API enabling developers to access real-time data points for the state of a vehicle including battery level, charge state, location, odometer, tire pressure, fuel level, and more. Data is delivered via webhooks or on-demand API requests.
- Commands Remote vehicle control API enabling developers to send commands to vehicles including start/stop charging, set charge limit, lock/unlock doors, and set destination. Standardizes all commands into a unified request format across all OEMs.
- Connect OAuth2-based consent and authorization flow that enables customers to securely grant applications access to their vehicle data. Includes customizable branding, transparent permission scopes, easy password reset flows per brand, and Connect Insights for troubleshooting user sessions. Available as SDKs for Android, iOS, JavaScript, and Flutter.
- Compatible Brands Vehicle compatibility verification tool allowing developers to explore compatibility by brand, model, and year. Includes the Compatibility API (based on VIN or region/brand) to verify vehicle eligibility before directing users through Smartcar Connect.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced month-end close by more than 5 business days using Smartcar's finance operations
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Smartcar
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Smartcar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature8 records
Smartcar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Volkswagen Group Info Services AGcoreIntegration enabling developers to support Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Škoda, SEAT, CUPRA and Audi models via single connection across 30+ European countries. Focus on EV use cases including smart charging, battery monitoring, and grid management.
- Emulate EnergycoreStrategic partnership integrating EVs into Emulate Energy's DERMS platform for energy providers. Smartcar provides automated data retrieval and charging session management across 35+ EV brands, enabling energy providers to leverage EV charging flexibility for grid balancing and peak demand reduction.
- LyftcorePartnership to launch 'Rides in Range' feature that automatically matches EV drivers with rides within their current battery range including a 20-mile buffer. Uses Smartcar's battery data API to alert drivers when charging is needed. Supports Lyft's goal of 100 million EV rides by end of 2025.
- BMWcorePartnership to power secure, scalable smart charging across Europe with BMW
- Mercedes-Benz Connectivity Services GmbH (MBCS)coreCollaboration in the energy space in Europe for Mercedes-Benz connectivity
- FordcoreExpanded partnership with Ford in Europe to expand access to connected vehicle APIs
- TeslacoreContinued partnership with Tesla for vehicle data and command integration
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Smartcar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- High Mobility: Berlin-based unified vehicle API platform that gives developers standardized access to OEM data and remote commands across multiple automakers. Direct competitor to Smartcar across European OEMs and developer-first connected vehicle integrations.
Broad incumbents
- Geotab: Global fleet telematics leader with vehicle data offerings and OEM integrations. Competes with Smartcar for fleet customers needing odometer, fuel, and location signals, but is hardware-attached and broader in scope.
- Samsara: IoT and telematics platform serving commercial fleets and industrial operations. Provides adjacent vehicle data and is frequently considered by fleet buyers alongside Smartcar, though Samsara is hardware-led and broader.
- Verizon Connect: Fleet telematics and connected vehicle platform combining telematics hardware, software, and Verizon network assets. Broad incumbent serving many of the same SMB-to-enterprise fleet and mobility buyers Smartcar targets.
- HERE Technologies: Location and connected vehicle services provider owned by Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Offers vehicle data platforms that intersect with Smartcar's territory, particularly for location-centric automotive data and mapping.
- Bosch Mobility Solutions: Automotive supplier with a connected vehicle services portfolio spanning fleet, telematics, and vehicle data platforms. Adjacent competitor with deep OEM relationships across both European and North American automakers.
- Continental: Global automotive supplier with a connected vehicle services portfolio that includes fleet, telematics, and V2X offerings. Competes for OEM-driven vehicle data programs and tier-1 fleet deployments that touch Smartcar's territory.
Emerging players
- Mojio: Connected car SaaS platform delivering vehicle data to insurance, fleet, and mobility apps. Smaller and narrower than Smartcar but overlapping on developer-first connected vehicle APIs and telematics service providers.
- DIMO: Decentralized vehicle data network enabling developers to access connected vehicle telemetry via blockchain-based infrastructure. Emerging alternative to Smartcar's centralized API approach, focused on user-owned data monetization.
Others
- Cox Automotive: Parent of automotive software brands including Dealertrack, Autotrader, and Manheim with deep vehicle data assets across dealership and remarketing ecosystems. Adjacent ecosystem player rather than a direct developer-API competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Smartcar social profiles
Digital presenceSmartcar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Smartcar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smartcar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Smartcar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smartcar 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 Smartcar
What does Smartcar do?
Smartcar provides a unified API platform for connected vehicles, enabling developers and mobility businesses to integrate with electric, hybrid, and gas vehicles across 40+ automakers. The platform offers standardized data retrieval (Signals), remote vehicle control (Commands), and OAuth2-based consent management (Connect) through a single integration with webhooks-first real-time delivery.
Is Smartcar a public or private company?
Smartcar is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Smartcar founded?
Smartcar was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Smartcar based?
Smartcar is headquartered in Mountain View, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smartcar make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Per-vehicle subscription is the primary driver. The others are command API usage and enterprise custom pricing.
Who are Smartcar's main competitors?
High Mobility is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are Geotab, Samsara, Verizon Connect, HERE Technologies, Bosch Mobility Solutions and Continental. Emerging players are Mojio and DIMO. Cox Automotive is listed as an others.
Does Smartcar have an API?
Yes. Smartcar provides a public API platform for connected vehicles enabling developers to integrate with electric, hybrid, and gas vehicles. The API supports REST architecture with webhooks for real-time data delivery, OAuth2-based authorization for secure user consent flows, and application-level access tokens valid for one hour (V3). SDKs are available for Go, Java, Node.js, Python, and Ruby (server-side) and Android, iOS, JavaScript, and Flutter (Connect/SDK). The API offers standardized endpoints for vehicle signals (data retrieval) and commands (remote control), compatibility verification via VIN/region/brand, and webhook subscriptions for continuous data streaming. Versioning includes V2 (deprecated, per-vehicle tokens) and V3 (application-level tokens, standardized signal schema). Developer documentation is at smartcar.com/docs.
What industry is Smartcar in?
Smartcar's product category is Connected Vehicle API Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAEAFAG, Video Telematics, ADAS & AI Dashcams, with a secondary code of TLABALAI, Fleet Access & Keyless Systems (Digital Keys, Telematics-Enabled Access Control).