Sheryl Sandberg has led a $10 million investment in Self Inspection, a San Diego-based startup that uses AI and smartphone photos to assess vehicle damage, replacing the need for physical inspections. The deal underscores growing investor interest in applying AI to modernise the automotive industry, an area Sandberg described as essential but data-fragmented, with several other startups also targeting different parts of the sector.

Founded in 2021, Self Inspection has carried out more than a million vehicle inspections for rental fleets, finance firms, auctions and marketplaces, including Stellantis's financial services arm. Its software lets anyone photograph a car via a smartphone link, then compares the images against a large database of vehicle damage to produce a cost estimate and detailed PDF repair report, also drawing on OBD2 diagnostic data. The round was led by Sandberg's family office, Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, with backing from U.S. AutoForce, Westlake Financial and venture firms including Costanoa, Rebellion and BrightCap; the company says it has already saved customers over $80 million and 300,000 operational hours, and plans to use the funds to expand into Europe.