San Diego‑based startup Self Inspection, founded in 2021, has secured a $10 million investment led by Sheryl Sandberg’s family office, Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners. The round also attracted strategic investors such as U.S. AutoForce and Westlake Financial, alongside early‑stage funds like Costanoa Ventures, Rebellion Ventures, and BrightCap Ventures.

Background and Objective

Traditional vehicle inspection is labor‑intensive, costly, and often inconsistent. Self Inspection aims to disrupt this model by turning any smartphone into a reliable inspection tool, enabling fleet managers, finance companies, and auction houses to capture damage data with a simple photo.

How the Technology Works

The platform sends a link to any user with a smartphone; the user uploads photographs of the vehicle. These images are then compared against one of the world’s largest datasets of damaged vehicles using proprietary AI algorithms. The system generates a detailed PDF report outlining labor, parts, and cost estimates, and can even pull data from an OBD2 interface for deeper diagnostics.

Market Impact and Achievements

To date, Self Inspection has performed more than 1 million inspections for rental fleets, automotive finance firms, auctions, and marketplaces—including Stellantis’ financial services arm for corporate‑owned and lease‑end vehicles. Clients report over $80 million in cost reductions and more than 300,000 operational hours saved.

Use of New Funding and Future Outlook

The fresh capital will fuel product expansion, broader enterprise outreach, and a push into European markets. By establishing a “system of record” for vehicle condition, Self Inspection seeks to standardize data across an industry that moves billions of dollars annually.

Analysts predict that AI‑driven inspection tools will not only cut expenses but also bring greater transparency to insurance, leasing, and resale processes, ultimately benefiting end‑consumers.