Bengaluru-based AI video telematics company Cautio has acquired two-wheeler safety startup BYTES, backed by Nikhil Kamath’s WTFund, in a move aimed at significantly strengthening its road safety platform for Indian mobility. The acquisition marks a strategic expansion of Cautio’s focus beyond four-wheelers to include two-wheelers, which form the backbone of transportation in India and represent the most vulnerable category of road users. As part of the deal, BYTES’ core team and proprietary technology will be integrated into Cautio’s operations.
The acquisition comes at a time when road safety remains a critical national challenge. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India witnesses more than 1.7 lakh road fatalities each year, with two-wheelers accounting for nearly 46 percent of these deaths. By bringing two-wheeler-specific safety intelligence into its platform, Cautio aims to address a gap that has long existed in mobility safety solutions.
“Two wheelers are at the heart of Indian mobility, and they deserve the same attention, intelligence, and care that larger fleets receive today,” said Ankit Acharya Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cautio. He added that the integration of BYTES will accelerate the company’s vision of building a comprehensive safety infrastructure that protects all categories of road users, not just commercial fleets.
Founded to tackle the unique safety challenges faced by motorcyclists and scooter riders, BYTES has developed vision-based safety systems and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) specifically designed for two-wheelers. These systems are engineered to operate within tight constraints around space, power consumption, and the complex, unpredictable conditions of Indian roads. Cautio plans to embed BYTES’ technology into its existing AI-powered video intelligence platform, which is already deployed across autos, cabs, buses, and logistics fleets in more than 50 cities nationwide.
“Our mission at BYTES has always been to make riding safer without adding friction,” said Aayush Kumar and Prakhar Agrawal, Co-Founders of BYTES, noting that joining Cautio will allow their technology to scale faster and reach a much broader base of riders across the country.
With this acquisition, Cautio is positioning itself as a unified safety intelligence provider across vehicle categories, reinforcing the role of AI and computer vision in improving road safety outcomes at population scale in India.
