{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/laplace-intelligence-uses-ai-to-red-team-robots-and-self-driving-cars","json":"https://digestai.news/story/laplace-intelligence-uses-ai-to-red-team-robots-and-self-driving-cars.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/laplace-intelligence-uses-ai-to-red-team-robots-and-self-driving-cars.md","slug":"laplace-intelligence-uses-ai-to-red-team-robots-and-self-driving-cars","headline":"Laplace Intelligence uses AI to red-team robots and self-driving cars","summary":"Laplace Intelligence, an Ann Arbor-based startup founded by Howie Sun and Henry Liu, is building automated red-teaming tools for physical AI. The company uses high-fidelity simulations to stress-test robots and autonomous vehicles before they are deployed in the real world. By leveraging a post-trained version of Nvidia’s Cosmos platform, Laplace reconstructs real-world environments, such as highways or pedestrian crossings, using data from sources like Google Street View and TomTom.\n\nThe core of the system involves AI agents that automatically design corner cases and failure scenarios to probe weaknesses in physical AI systems. This approach moves away from relying solely on recorded footage or human-designed edge cases, which is particularly important for generalized robotics where real-world data is scarce. Laplace claims its simulations are interactive, with simulated actors reacting realistically to test vehicles.\n\nThe startup is currently generating revenue from autonomous driving customers, including Isuzu, Bot Auto, and Nvidia. It is also working with partners on humanoid robotics for warehouses. Laplace is competing in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt, aiming to raise funds to scale and compete with rivals like Applied Intuition, which has raised $1.2 billion at a $15 billion valuation.","keyPoints":["Laplace Intelligence uses AI agents to automatically design failure scenarios for physical AI systems.","The company uses a post-trained version of Nvidia’s Cosmos for high-fidelity real-world simulation.","Current customers include Isuzu, Bot Auto, and Nvidia, with a focus on autonomous driving."],"whyItMatters":"As physical AI moves into the real world, automated safety testing is critical. Laplace’s approach addresses the lack of data for generalized robotics, potentially reducing deployment risks for autonomous vehicles and robots.","category":{"slug":"robotics","name":"Robotics & Physical AI","url":"https://digestai.news/category/robotics"},"entities":{"companies":["Laplace Intelligence","Nvidia","Isuzu","Bot Auto","Applied Intuition","T-Mobile"],"models":["Cosmos"],"people":["Howie Sun","Henry Liu"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-13T17:30:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-13T17:30:00Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"TechCrunch AI","title":"Laplace Intelligence red-teams robots and self-driving cars before they hit the real world","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/13/laplace-intelligence-red-teams-robots-and-self-driving-cars-before-they-hit-the-real-world","publishedAt":"2026-10-13T17:30:00Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"Laplace Intelligence uses AI to red-team robots and self-driving cars\", 13 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/laplace-intelligence-uses-ai-to-red-team-robots-and-self-driving-cars","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"Laplace Intelligence uses AI to red-team robots and self-driving cars","datePublished":"2026-10-13T17:30:00Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/laplace-intelligence-uses-ai-to-red-team-robots-and-self-driving-cars"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}