Cautio acquires Nikhil Kamath-backed BYTES to build two-wheeler tech
The acquisition brings BYTES’ founders and team into Cautio’s research and development unit, with the combined entity aiming to build what it described as a full-stack, intelligence-driven safety platform for India’s roads.
Cautio, an Indian video telematics company, has acquired BYTES, a deep-tech startup backed by Nikhil Kamath’s WTFund, as it looks to expand its focus on safety solutions for two-wheelers, the companies said on Sunday.
The acquisition brings BYTES’ founders and team into Cautio’s research and development unit, with the combined entity aiming to build what it described as a full-stack, intelligence-driven safety platform for India’s roads. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
India records more than 150,000 road fatalities each year, with two-wheelers accounting for nearly three-fourths of deaths, according to the company. Many incidents remain unreported, creating gaps in data and response mechanisms, Cautio said.
“Every incident we see reminds us that safety in India cannot remain limited to three- and four-wheelers and commercial fleets,” Ankit Acharya, co-founder and chief executive officer of Cautio, said in a statement. “Two-wheelers are at the heart of Indian mobility, and they deserve the same attention, intelligence, and care that larger fleets receive today."
BYTES has been working on vision-based, artificial intelligence-powered safety systems designed specifically for two-wheelers, a segment that faces engineering constraints such as limited space, unreliable power sources and highly variable rider behaviour. Its technology focuses on real-time risk detection and edge optimisation for dense and unpredictable road conditions, Cautio said.
“Our mission at BYTES has always been to make riding safer without adding friction,” BYTES co-founders Aayush and Prakhar said. “As Cautio has already shown how video intelligence can reshape mobility safety in India, we’re excited to scale our work inside a platform that understands both the urgency and the responsibility of what we’re building”
Cautio currently provides video-based safety and telematics services for autos, cabs, buses and logistics fleets across more than 50 cities, analysing millions of kilometres of footage through a 24x7 command centre, according to the company. Following the acquisition, it plans to increase investment in two-wheeler-specific research, including rider visibility, incident documentation and human-in-the-loop response systems.
Edited by Jyoti Narayan