New self-driving truck lane working each day in Texas may enhance high quality of life for drivers, firm says

On Tuesday, Kodiak Robotics Inc. introduced one more main partnership to haul industrial hundreds utilizing self-driving vans in Texas.

The partnership between Kodiak and furnishings retailer IKEA introduced on October 18 includes an autonomous Kodiak truck transporting IKEA merchandise between the IKEA Distribution Heart in Baytown, Texas, and the IKEA Retailer in Frisco, Texas, alongside I-45, a visit of about 300 miles.

Kodiak says that the Baytown to Frisco lane has been working seven days per week since August 8, 2022.

As a part of the operation, there’s a “security” truck driver who stays behind the wheel and oversees the method of selecting up the loaded trailer within the morning, remaining with the autonomous Kodiak truck via the supply within the afternoon.

Kodiak says that operations like this might be the important thing to unlocking higher high quality of life for truck drivers.

“IKEA and Kodiak share a dedication to placing security first,” stated Don Burnette, Founder and CEO, Kodiak Robotics. “Collectively we will improve security, enhance working situations for drivers, and create a extra sustainable freight transportation system. Adopting autonomous trucking know-how can enhance drivers’ high quality of life by specializing in the native driving jobs most desire to do. We stay up for working with the IKEA service companions to deliver these advantages to the IKEA provide chain.”

“We’re proud to be working with Kodiak to realize our formidable objectives of being on the forefront of innovation and constructing capabilities for future transportation,” says Dariusz Mroczek, Class Space Transport Supervisor, IKEA Provide Chain Operations. “Kodiak’s know-how will contribute in the direction of our goal to place the motive force in focus within the transition in the direction of automated transportation and in the direction of our highway security agenda.”

Kodiak additionally acknowledged within the October 18 announcement that self-driving vans use roughly 10% much less gasoline than human-driven vans.

Kodiak has introduced a flurry of transportation business partnerships prior to now 12 months, becoming a member of forces with CEVA Logistics to ship freight autonomously between Dallas Fort-Value and Austin in addition to Dallas-Fort Value and Oklahoma Metropolis. Kodiak additionally partnered with U.S. Xpress for autonomous freight service between Dallas-Fort Value and Atlanta. Moreover, Kodiak has participated in autonomous pilot packages with with Werner and 10 Roads Categorical this 12 months.