Drivemode develops software and user experiences for connected vehicles, electric vehicles and motorcycles. Founded in 2014 by entrepreneurs from Zipcar and Tesla Motors, the company began with a mobile-based connected-car platform designed to turn a smartphone into a safer central interface for driving. Its work spans connected-car platforms, in-car systems, mobile applications, cloud and backend technologies, driver assistance, navigation and messaging.
Earlier products included Drivemode Dash and Road Sync, both of which brought driver assistance, navigation, messaging and connected features to compatible vehicles. Engineering and design roles at the company draw on its stated technical domains: software engineering, product design, UX research and user experience development, alongside its mobile, cloud and backend platform work.
Drivemode was acquired by Honda in 2019 - the carmaker's first startup acquisition - and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Honda R&D, having previously collaborated with Honda through the Honda Xcelerator programme. The company describes itself as retaining an independent, agile startup culture while operating autonomously in support of Honda's automotive strategy. It maintains offices in Mountain View, California and Tokyo, Japan.
