Cepton, Inc. ("Cepton" or the "Company"), a Silicon Valley innovator and leader in high-performance LiDAR solutions, has announced the completion of its acquisition by Koito Manufaturings Co. MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. ("Koito") (TSE: 7276), a leading Tier 1 supplier of automotive lighting systems. As a privately held, indirect subsidiary of Koito in the United States, Cepton will continue to operate and maintain its corporate headquarters in San Jose, California.
The acquisition, effective January 7, 2025, marks a strategic milestone in the industrialization of Cepton's cutting-edge LiDAR technology, which will combine the strengths of both companies to reshape the future of mobility. Supported by Koito's world-renowned automotive expertise, Cepton will continue to drive the commercialization of its LiDAR solutions, with a focus on quality, reliability and sustainability.Together, Cepton and Koito are committed to driving innovation and unlocking a higher level of safe, automated driving for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, industrial facilities and transportation infrastructure.
Dr. Jun Pei, CEO and co-founder of Cepton, commented, "Given the close collaboration between Cepton and Koito over the years that demonstrates the synergies between the two companies, we are excited to join the Koito family. The automotive industry has been experimenting with LiDAR technology for nearly a decade, and our combination with Koito comes at a critical turning point where experimentation must transition to full-scale, long-term deployment. Joining forces with Koito allows us to maximize our strengths and deliver the results that matter most to our OEM customers: a true balance between performance, reliability and cost."
Mr. Michiaki Kato, President and COO of Koito, added, "The Cepton integration will enhance Koito's ability to solidify its global leadership position, particularly in setting industry standards for precision sensing technologies for different vehicle types and applications. As part of Koito's vision of 'Lighting the Way to a Sustainable Future,' our goal is to make LiDAR a ubiquitous technology for automakers around the world. With the addition of the Cepton team, Koito is committed to driving the future of safe, smart and sustainable mobility."
According to the profile, Cepton is a Silicon Valley innovator that provides LiDAR-based solutions for automotive and smart infrastructure applications. With its patented LiDAR technology, Cepton aims to make LiDAR mainstream, achieving a balance of performance, cost and reliability while providing scalable and intelligent 3D sensing solutions across industries.Founded in 2016, Cepton is led by industry veterans with decades of collective experience in advanced LiDAR and imaging technologies, focusing on high-performance, high-quality mass-market commercialization of LiDAR solutions.Cepton is headquartered in San Jose, California, with a Center of Excellence facility in Troy, Michigan, to provide local support to automotive customers in the Metro Detroit area.Cepton also has an office in Germany to serve European customers.
