Sheryl Sandberg has led a $10 million investment in Self Inspection, a San Diego-based AI startup that aims to transform vehicle inspections using smartphone cameras, also backed by Jon McNeill’s DVx Ventures.
Disrupting the Automotive Industry
Founded in 2021, Self Inspection seeks to modernize vehicle assessments by enabling smartphone-based inspection of car body damage. The company has completed over 1 million inspections for rental fleets, automotive finance firms, auctions, and marketplaces, with notable clients like Stellantis’ financial services arm utilizing the platform for corporate vehicle and lease-end checks.
“The biggest technology companies are built by transforming industries that are massive, essential, and ready for change,” Sandberg stated. “Vehicle condition touches billions of dollars in automotive decisions every year, yet the data remains fragmented. That is changing. We believe Self Inspection will build the system of record that the automotive industry needs.”
Strategic Investment Partners
The funding round, managed by Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, also saw participation from tire distributor U.S. AutoForce and automotive lender Westlake Financial, alongside early-stage investors Costanoa Ventures, Rebellion Ventures, and BrightCap Ventures.
AI in Automotive Advancements
Self Inspection is part of a wave of startups utilizing AI to revamp the automotive sector. Competitors like Toma and Flai focus on enhancing dealership communication with voice agents, while BidBus facilitates competitive bidding on privately-owned vehicles. Meanwhile, UVeye targets infrastructure-level vehicle inspection modernization.
Self Inspection emphasizes simplicity, selling software to clients such as Stellantis that allows users to upload car photos via a smartphone link. The software guides users through the process, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
CEO Constantine Yaremtso explained, “Everyone has a good camera and knows how to capture photos.” The platform compares these images with a vast dataset of damaged vehicles to gauge damage severity, generating a cost estimate and detailed inspection report.
Future Plans and Expansion
The service, reportedly saving clients over $80 million and 300,000 operational hours, plans to use the new funds to develop more products, expand its enterprise customer base, and enter the European market.
Yaremtso highlighted the comprehensive PDF report offered by Self Inspection, akin to a body shop analysis, detailing required labor, repair costs, and parts needed. The platform also integrates data from an OBD2 computer for more detailed diagnostics.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/16/sheryl-sandberg-leads-10-million-investment-in-ai-powered-vehicle-inspection-service/
