Porsche has partnered with ClearMotion to validate the U.S. startup's active suspension technology and road-reading software and has signed a licensing agreement for its technology, the companies said.
ClearMotion CTO Zack Anderson declined to say which Porsche models the company's technology could be used for, but said it could be used in any electric or combustion-engine model without any need to redesign those vehicles.
"Vehicle motion is the next frontier in delivering a markedly superior experience for drivers and passengers," Ingo Albers, Porsche's vice president for drive systems said in a statement on Tuesday.
"This collaboration is intended to lay the groundwork for evaluating an even closer long-term cooperation with ClearMotion," Albers said.
The ClearMotion suspension system uses a combination of hardware -- a small unit containing a motor and power electronics sits in each wheel well of a vehicle -- and software to read the road ahead, which the startup says cuts motion inside a car by about 75 percent versus the best available technology.
ClearMotion is also supplying the technology for Nio's upcoming ET9 sedan in a contract covering 750,000 cars over the lifetime of the model.
ClearMotion will also validate its RoadMotion "road surface fingerprinting software" with Porsche.
The software collects road data, uploads it to the cloud then streams it back to cars to make for a more comfortable ride and avoid obstacles like potholes.
"What Porsche is excited about is really our ability to deliver performance without any sacrifice around comfort," Anderson said.
He said the startup will announce relationships with a number of other automakers in the months ahead.
