News

TechCrunch comes to town and Autopilot's new App is a hit

July 16, 2012

Charlotte, NC -  TechCrunch, a leading technology online media that profiles breaking tech news, startups, reviews and new internet products, rolled into Charlotte on Thursday (July 12) last week as part of their Southeast Mini Meetup Series, to check out what's going on in the Queen City.

Local transportation company DADD (Dial a Designated Driver) who started their "we drive you and your car home when you can't" operation a few years ago in Charlotte, seized the opportunity to expose their new baby 'Autopilot,' currently in its beta phase of implementation.

Autopilot is an App for your iPhone that puts you in control of your own safety allowing you to book a driver on demand when you can't, shouldn't, or simply don't want to drive your own car.  The new Autopilot App allows you to book, track, and pay for your ride with the push of a button, all from your mobile device.

Says Autopilot's Ben Lee, "This is a game changer for the way Charlottean's make reservations for transportation and with the DNC coming to town soon, demand for our service is sure to increase. The introduction of this new technology is a natural progression for our company. Autopilot has already received national interest and we hope it will go towards putting Charlotte on the map as a hot place for exciting tech startup's and high-tech innovation."

250+ guests packed into Packard Place's Church Street location which also happens to be the home of RevTech Labs, Charlotte's first Tech Incubator in Uptown Charlotte, to see and hear what's new in the tech startup scene in the city. Autopilot demonstrated their new Application and people loved it, including both angel investors and VCs in attendance. Autopilot "stewardesses" stole the show in their retro blue outfits while they took interested parties through their paces on the new technology.

Autopilot signed up over 50 new beta users to test drive the App to help them with feedback before it is launched on the Apple Store in the next few weeks.

If you are interested in joining this limited group to test drive the new Autopilot app, visit their website to sign up.

Caption pic #1: Ben Lee of Autopilot with the TechCrunch team (from left) Jordan Crook, Ben Lee, John Biggs and Josh Zelman.  Photograph by: Bryan Bazemore Photography

Caption Pic # 2:  The Autopilot "Stewardesses" with Sharon Lee of Autopilot (from left) Desiree Ayers, Sharon Lee, Jennifer Kluttz and Katherine Newman. Photograph by: Bryan Bazemore Photography

Caption Pic # 3: Carey Head (left) from StokFel, a Charlotte based social savings and lending circles startup and James Stewart, Jr (right) a Charlotte blogger. Photograph by: Bryan Bazemore Photography

Caption Pic #4: "...a perfect idea for eye care patients who can't drive after a procedure" according to doctors Amir and Ali Khoshnevis of Carolina Family Eye Care and the founders of WeRX.org. Here is Ben Lee of Autopilot with Dr Amir Khoshnevis. Photograph by: Bryan Bazemore Photography