The Nvidia-backed autonomous vehicle technology developer has secured $18m in series A funding to increase its vehicle fleet and expand its team.

Optimus Ride, a US-based driverless vehicle technology developer backed by graphics chipmaker Nvidia, has closed an $18m series A round led by venture capital firm Greycroft Partners.

VC firm Fraser McCombs Capital, philanthropic organisation Emerson Collective and individual investor Joi Ito also contributed to the round. Nvidia, Ito, NextView Ventures and FirstMark Capital had invested $5.3m in the company in October 2016.

Optimus Ride, a spinout of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is developing autonomous vehicles that require no driver…