For outdoor adventure seekers itching to hit the road, the travel app Sékr has introduced a groundbreaking AI tool aptly named Copilot to revolutionize the way you plan your next road trip. Taking its place in the recently revamped website and application, Copilot marks a significant stride in travel tech innovation. The app, embraced by a community exceeding 100,000 users, is aiming to simplify and enhance the trip planning experience.
Founded in 2016, Sékr has long been dedicated to serving the “van life” community by making it easier to locate campsites that cater to specific requirements, including amenities like showers, restrooms, and Wi-Fi. It also fosters a community by enabling users to connect and participate in shared outdoor activities such as skiing and rock climbing.
The recent December 2023 acquisition of Sékr by van manufacturer Peace Vans has seen the startup undergo a shift in leadership. Harley Sitner, now CEO of both Sékr and Peace Vans, had been an avid user of the app and recognized its potential despite a period of dormancy. With fresh guidance and a passion for product innovation from his time as a product manager at a tech giant, Sitner has refocused the mission: to facilitate the planning of journeys while enhancing app features to align with Sékr’s original objective.
Copilot delivers an agile road trip planning solution that fuses advanced natural language processing with a trove of user-contributed reviews and ratings about diverse destinations—alongside publicly available data to draft personalized road trip itineraries, drawing on resources such as OpenAI’s GPT. The tool stands ready to transform the way users explore the world around them.
“For the millions of travelers setting out on their adventures by van, car, or RV this summer, Sékr Copilot is here to streamline countless hours of itinerary planning, delivering a superior, more authentic travel plan,” announced Sitner. The tool promises to overcome the notorious planning hurdles, setting the stage for unexpected discoveries and authentic, community-inspired road trip experiences.
The new “Trip Planning” feature is accessible on the app and web platform. It kicks off by gathering user responses to several initial prompts pertaining to their destination and preferences and then churns out a customizable itinerary dense with potential camping spots, culinary stops, and engaging activities.
The intelligence behind Copilot lies in its potential to guide travelers to hidden gems off the beaten path, such as a local-favorite taco truck in Baja or secluded spots on BLM land offering breathtaking views—spots that might otherwise remain undiscovered.
Sékr not only caters to both iOS and Android users, but also generously offers its basic functionalities free of charge. Adventurers seeking a more enriched experience can opt for premium features, including offline maps and unlimited messaging, at a modest subscription of $4.99 per month.
The startup has drawn considerable support, securing $2.25 million in seed funding from a group of investors. This backing underscores the confidence in Sékr’s vision to redefine road trip planning and its commitment to delivering exceptional travel experiences to its growing user base.
Embark on an effortless journey of discovery with Sékr, where uncharted adventures are just a download away.
