Driverless trucks have pushed India’s first unicorn of 2025 into an existential crisis

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Apr 27, 2025

Netradyne, a logistics AI startup, became India’s first unicorn of 2025 after raising $90 million. The company has revolutionized long-distance trucking with its advanced surveillance technology. Their system not only enhances road safety but also serves as a legal safeguard for drivers. As Netradyne navigates a booming market, it also faces challenges from the rise of driverless vehicles, sparking discussions on the future of the trucking industry.

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ANECDOTE

Humble Beginnings to Advanced Tech

Netradyne started with a simple prototype: a smartphone duct-taped to a car windshield with an NVIDIA GPU.
This crude setup evolved into a compact device with cameras and AI providing real-time safety alerts to drivers.

INSIGHT

Vision Analytics Trump Motion Sensors

Netradyne's edge lies in real-time driver behavior analysis using advanced computer vision.
This is more sophisticated than just motion sensors or dashcams, offering richer safety insights.

ANECDOTE

Amazon's Big Client Role and Privacy Concerns

Amazon has been Netradyne's client since 2021, relying heavily on its safety tech in U.S. operations.
Meanwhile, some drivers criticize the system’s constant surveillance as invading privacy.

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In January this year, Netradyne, the logistics AI startup, became India’s first unicorn of 2025 after it raised $90 million in series D funding.

You see, it did not take it long to realise that its sweet spot is the long-distance trucking segment. It serves over 3,000 customers across eight countries, including the likes of Amazon, Shell, Indian Oil and Greenline Mobility. And it all began with one rather primitive prototype. Of course, now it has morphed into a compact device with a built-in GPU, up to four cameras, and a disembodied voice alerting drivers not to crash the vehicle.

The Ken reporter Abhirami G found herself in the backseat of one of Netradyne’s test cars in Bengaluru's Whitefield neighbourhood. The driver of the car was a Netradyne employee. And as he weaved through the traffic, the company’s signature always-on surveillance cameras didn’t just watch his every move, but also apparently “understood” and “analysed”. As he drove, he was generating the precious training data that powers the company’s bread and butter. Apart from making roads safer, this whole system also doubles up as a driver’s best legal defence in times of trouble. The company’s executive Vice president of Engineering Teja Gudena said that on multiple occasions, it has saved drivers from liability by proving their innocence in accidents.

Apart from its new-found unicorn status, it reportedly managed to clock Rs 1,000 crore in revenue in 2023. It also currently has a stronghold in the US and other major global markets. Reaching all of these milestones within nine years is pretty remarkable. But despite all that success, Netradyne is now grappling with an existential crisis. Because now, driverless vehicles are no longer science fiction, they are a logistical inevitability. And that leaves Netradyne in a rather tricky spot.

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This episode was first published on Feb 13, 2025

Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.