Sékr, a startup that gives a cellular app for outside fans and campers, is launching a brand new AI software for planning highway journeys. The brand new software, known as Copilot, is out there on the startup’s up to date web site and app, which is utilized by greater than 100,000 customers.
Sékr was based in 2016 with the objective of serving to the “van life” neighborhood discover campsites based mostly on their wants, reminiscent of bathe amenities, restrooms, in a single day van parking or free Wi-Fi. The app additionally permits customers to attach with fellow vacationers who need to take part in outside actions collectively, like mountaineering or snowboarding.
After being acquired by van firm Peace Vans in December 2023, the startup is underneath new management. Sékr and Peace Vans CEO Harley Sitner was a person of the app for seven years however had seen final yr that the app had gone dormant. He realized that the founders of the startup have been going to unwind the app as a result of sudden shift in world fundraising climates in late 2022, regardless of having a powerful person base. Sitner, who was a former product supervisor at Microsoft, was approached to amass Sékr in November 2023.
Quick ahead eight months, the startup is now seeking to assist folks higher plan the journeys to their locations, whereas additionally updating the app with enhanced options that keep true to Sékr’s authentic mission.
With the brand new AI-powered highway journey planning software, Sékr is combining pure language processing with proprietary knowledge from its neighborhood of customers who’ve left evaluations and rankings about particular locations. Copilot additionally appears to be like at publicly-available knowledge when creating highway journey itineraries. The software leverages OpenAI’s GPT, Meta’s Llama and others.
“For the millions of people traveling by van, car, or RV this summer, Sēkr Copilot will help you bypass hours of trip planning to quickly deliver a better itinerary,” Sitner stated in a press release. “AI isn’t going to create a panoramic sunset, but it will help you overcome the notorious planner’s block, set you up for serendipitous moments, and connect you to an authentic road trip experience co-created by Sēkr’s incredible community of dedicated users.”
Copilot might be accessed through the brand new “Trip Planning” tab on the startup’s web site or app. As soon as customers opens up the software, they are going to be requested to reply a collection of prompts about the place they’re going and what they’re on the lookout for. The software will then present a journey itinerary that has editable journey legs that embrace tenting locations, stops for meals and outside actions.
The thought behind Copilot is to assist vacationers uncover distinctive locations that they could not have identified about in any other case. As an illustration, the software might encourage vacationers to take a look at a taco truck parked by the aspect of a dusty highway in Baja that customers have stated affords higher meals than a 5-star reviewed Denny’s exterior of Los Angeles. Or, the software might encourage customers to discover secluded, unmarked areas in BLM (Bureau of Land Administration) land that overlooks scenic views.
Sékr is out there on iOS and Android. The app’s fundamental options are free-to-use. Customers can unlock premium options like, offline maps, occasion low cost codes, and limitless messaging and looking for $4.99 per 30 days.
The startup beforehand acquired $2.25 million in seed funding led by Storyteller Overland, with participation from Backstage Capital, Techstars, Advert Astra Ventures, Crescent Ridge Ventures and Andy Ballester, the co-founder of GoFundMe.
