Full-Time

Robotics Engineer

Autonomous Driving/ Robotics

Posted on 5/28/2025

Perrone Robotics

Perrone Robotics

11-50 employees

Delivers autonomous vehicle retrofit kits

No salary listed

Charlottesville, VA, USA

In Person

Category
Mechanical Engineering (3)
, ,
Responsibilities
  • Vehicle integrations of electronic and mechanical systems.
  • Technical execution of the hardware development roadmap
  • Engaging with technicians to help solve production problems
  • Designing next-generation electronic and mechanical systems
  • Management of engineering requirements
Desired Qualifications
  • electrical engineering
  • power electronics
  • FPGAs

Perrone Robotics builds autonomous vehicle systems and offers turnkey and retrofit solutions to turn existing vehicles into self-driving units. Its flagship TONY retrofit kit enables various vehicle types to operate autonomously, with models like TONY LSV, TONY AV Star, TONY MEV, TONY Olli, and TONY Tropos designed for different speeds and applications. How it works: the TONY kit integrates sensors, software, and control systems into a vehicle, allowing autonomous navigation and operation in transportation of people or goods. Perrone differentiates itself by focusing on retrofit and turnkey deployments across commercial, public, and industrial sectors, partnering with manufacturers, technology suppliers, and transit operators to customize and scale autonomous mobility. Its goal is to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient autonomous mobility options that can upgrade existing fleets or enable new autonomous solutions.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$10M

Headquarters

Charlottesville, Virginia

Founded

2003

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Patent litigation against Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Nissan validates core IP.
  • USDOT SMART Grant ($1.98M, May 2025) demonstrates government preference for retrofit over replacement.
  • Dedicated Transit Division (May 2025) positions TONY ADAS as specialized modernization solution for legacy fleets.

What critics are saying

  • Major automakers file countersuits alleging invalid patents, draining cash reserves through prolonged litigation.
  • Tesla FSD v13 and Waymo integrated stacks dominate OEM partnerships, rendering retrofit kits obsolete.
  • NHTSA investigation into TONY Kit disengagements may result in certification denial and market exclusion.

What makes Perrone Robotics unique

  • Vehicle-agnostic MAX platform powers retrofit kits across diverse vehicle types and autonomy levels.
  • Patented GPROS technology enables single codebase for robots, vehicles, aircraft, and submersibles.
  • GPT AI integration into MAX generates exponential autonomous maneuvers for complex dynamic environments.

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Benefits

Dental Insurance

Health Insurance

Paid Vacation

Vision Insurance

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

5%

2 year growth

5%
Telematics Wire
Nov 27th, 2025
Major automakers, including Tesla, Toyota & Others sued over automated vehicle patents by Perrone Robotics

Major automakers, including Tesla, Toyota & others sued over automated vehicle patents by Perrone Robotics. In a sweeping legal move, Perrone Robotics - a pioneer in robotics and automated-vehicle software - has filed patent-infringement lawsuits against seven major automakers, including Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Nissan. The filings, submitted in U.S. federal courts in Texas and Virginia, allege that the defendants' automated-driving systems rely on Perrone's patented "general-purpose robotics operating system" (GPROS) and associated technologies without proper licensing. Founded by industry veteran Paul Perrone, Perrone Robotics developed in the mid-2000s a flexible software platform that enables a single code base to power a wide variety of robots and automated vehicles - a breakthrough that helped lay the foundation of modern ADAS and autonomy. According to the complaint, this very architecture has been used for years in standard automated-driving suites across the defendants' vehicle lineups. One of the patents now under dispute (U.S. Patent 10,331,136) was reportedly offered to Tesla in 2017 - an offer the automaker declined. Perrone Robotics is seeking unspecified monetary damages and an injunction to stop further use of the patented technology. The company argues that protecting its intellectual property is vital, especially given how deeply its inventions have influenced the rapidly growing autonomous-vehicle industry. As the case moves forward, it could challenge how major automakers license or develop their self-driving software - and may force companies to re-examine the origins of features now taken for granted in modern cars.

Reimagined Energy
Nov 25th, 2025
Tesla sued by Perrone Robotics for alleged patent infringement relating to Autopilot

Tesla sued by Perrone Robotics for alleged patent infringement relating to Autopilot. Tesla has been slapped with a lawsuit by Perrone Robotics. The Virginia-based plaintiff claims its patented technology is present without authorization in every Tesla car running Autopilot in the last six year. The case was filed in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. Perrone Robotics, founded by Paul Perrone, has a robotics operating system that allows one software base to control many types of automated machines. Perrone says this approach once solved a major industry problem. According to the lawsuit, manufacturers often needed separate hardware and software for each vehicle. However, with Perrone Robotics' system, this can be avoided. Tesla vehicles are now being accused of relying on systems that mirror these patented ideas. Perrone maintains that it offered one of the affected patents to Tesla in 2017. The lawsuit seeks financial damages and an order for Tesla to stop using the technology. At the moment, the American automaker has not commented on the lawsuit. Any disruption to Autopilot could affect future software updates and long-term support. The lawsuit also arrives at a time when CEO Elon Musk is seriously promoting Tesla's plan for robotaxis. A prolonged legal fight could delay those plans and affect competition in the growing autonomous EV market. If the court rules in favour of Perrone Robotics, it could influence software licensing models across the industry and increase development costs for companies that rely on similar systems. Are you buying a Tesla? If you enjoy its content and Reimaginedenergy helped in your decision, use its referral link to get three months of Full Self-Driving (FSD).

PR Newswire
May 30th, 2025
Perrone Robotics Celebrates National Av Day With Milestone Achievements Across Av And Adas Platforms

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On this official National Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Day, May 31, Perrone Robotics proudly celebrates the progress made in delivering trusted, safe, feature-rich, and operationally-ready autonomous vehicle (AV) solutions across the widest array of platforms and applications in the industry. Through its patented TONY® AV Kit and its TONY® ADAS Kit, Perrone is bringing automation to the real world, today

PR Newswire
May 21st, 2025
Perrone Robotics And Neoride Awarded Usdot Smart Grant To Retrofit Six Ohio Transit Buses With Advanced Driver-Assistance Technology

Project channels $1.98 million in federal funding to install, test, operate, and evaluate Perrone's TONY™ ADAS Kit, equipping legacy fleets with collision avoidance, lane-keeping, and other safety enhancements.CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. and WADSWORTH, Ohio, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Perrone Robotics Inc. and NEORide, a council of governments representing more than 30 U.S. transit agencies, today announced a landmark Vehicle-Agnostic Kit Services Agreement to retrofit six 35-foot Gillig buses in Ohio with Perrone's TONY™ ADAS Retrofit Kit. The project is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant program.The upgraded buses will be deployed by three NEORide members—Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA), Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA), and Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA)—bringing cutting-edge driver-assistance capabilities to riders and operators across the region.Safety and Efficiency—Delivered TodayThe TONY™ ADAS Kit integrates with existing buses, combining advanced sensors with Perrone's MAX® autonomy software to provide:Forward Collision Avoidance and Automated Emergency Braking (AEB)Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane-Keeping AssistanceBlind Spot Detection and Side-Impact AlertsIntersection management support, pedestrian protection, and data loggingUnder this program, each bus will be outfitted with Forward Collision Avoidance, Lane-Keeping Assistance, Adaptive Cruise Control, advanced warnings, and a data logging platform with expandable modules for future features.By retrofitting rather than replacing vehicles, agencies gain immediate safety benefits while maximizing taxpayer value.Paul Perrone, Founder & CEO, Perrone Robotics:"TONY allows transit systems to leap from legacy to leading-edge safety in weeks, not years

PR Newswire
May 14th, 2025
Perrone Robotics Announces Formation Of Dedicated Transit Division To Support Growth And Enhanced Customer Focus

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Perrone Robotics, Inc., a pioneer and leader in autonomous vehicle technology, today announced the establishment of a dedicated Transit Division. This strategic initiative enhances the company's capability to serve its expanding customer base across public and commercial passenger transit sectors, reinforcing Perrone Robotics' commitment to delivering scalable, efficient, and high-quality transit automation solutions

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