General Motors said on Friday it had acquired Algolion Ltd., an Israel-based software startup that helps detect problems in batteries.
GM said Algolion’s software will help the automaker bring to the market a “cost-effective” early hazard detection system at a quicker pace.
The deal, for an undisclosed sum, comes at a time when automakers are investing billions in manufacturing electric vehicles and rushing to develop batteries — which represent up to 50 percent of an EV’s price tag — that can power an automobile for a longer duration.
It also comes as safety authorities urge U.S. automakers to improve battery standards after a series of events where vehicles have caught fire due to defective modules.
