General Motors has acquired Israel-based battery software startup ALGOLiON Ltd which helps detect problems in batteries. The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, might help General Motors with battery development for full-electric vehicle production.
The acquisition was led by the newly formed Technology Acceleration and Commercialization (TAC) organization, a group within GM that works to identify emerging technology that can support GM’s leadership position in battery development through investments, acquisitions, or partnerships.
Founded in 2014 by Niles Fleischer, Ph.D. and Alex Nimberger, Ph.D., ALGOLiON has developed sophisticated software that uses data streams from EV battery management systems to help identify anomalies in cell performance to ensure proper vehicle health management and provide early detection of battery hazards, including thermal runaway propagation events.
Dr. Fleischer has more than 40 years of experience in the battery industry and more than 80 patents in the field, while Dr. Nimberger has deep military and civilian experience in all aspects of lithium-ion battery operating modes and effects analysis.
Coupled with GM’s internal capabilities and vast experience in delivering best-in-class products at scale, ALGOLiON’s software can greatly accelerate the time-to-market of a cost-effective early hazard detection system for the benefit of millions of GM’s customers worldwide.
The software uses sophisticated algorithms to find changes that might impact battery health weeks earlier than other methods in use today without additional hardware or sensors, all while the battery is still operating properly.
The Israeli center specializes in advanced technologies, including software and algorithms, machine learning, Software Defined Vehicles, cyber security, and user-facing applications for autonomous, electric, and connected vehicles that are shaping the future of mobility.
