Kodiak Robotics and Forward Air Launch Self-Driving Hauls Between Dallas and Atlanta

Teams of safety drivers keep freight moving while staying in HOS compliance

Kodiak Robotics and Forward Air will begin around-the-clock autonomous roundtrips between Dallas and Atlanta three times a week (Photo: Kodiak Robotics)

Initiating Autonomous Freight Runs

Kodiak Robotics and Forward Air Corp. have begun thrice-weekly autonomous freight round-trips between Dallas and Atlanta, adhering to hours-of-service regulations that may not be applicable to driverless trucks in the future.

Transition to Driverless Trucks

Kodiak, headquartered in Mountain View, California, plans to eliminate drivers on specific routes by 2024. However, the largest expense in transporting freight — the driver — remains indispensable. Each week, Kodiak's four drivers alternate between local and long-distance driving.

Profitability and Revenue

According to CEO Don Burnette, Kodiak will generate revenue on a per-mile basis but will not profit from the runs. Despite the fact that the company is not yet profitable on the route with a safety driver, he stated that they continue to pursue operational efficiency in order to achieve profitability. Burnette emphasized the significance of operating lanes such as Dallas-Fort Worth to Atlanta for the program's growth.

Increasing Frequency of Autonomous Runs

With driver-monitored high-autonomy software, routes are becoming longer and more frequent. The exclusive agreement between Kodiak and Forward Air allows for autonomous freight service 24 hours per day, six days per week.

Advantages and Safety Considerations of Autonomous Trucks

The main objectives of autonomous trucking are route density and uninterrupted freight movement. Drivers can only legally operate for 11 of the 24 hours per day. Because they do not require rest or sustenance and are not susceptible to distractions, robot-operated trucks could potentially operate continuously. However, computer-driven trucks require redundant steering, braking, and power systems to ensure safety in the absence of a driver.

Kodiak and Forward Air Collaboration Milestones

Since August 2022, Forward Air, which provides asset-light transportation services across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has utilized Kodiak for over 100 loads and more than 100,000 autonomously driven miles. Tom Schmitt, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Forward, believes that autonomous trucks could be a scalable solution for certain network lanes but will not replace the capacity of independent contractors.

Enhanced Efficiency and Resilience through Autonomous Trucking

Kodiak attributes its ability to provide 24-hour service on the nearly 800-mile Dallas-Atlanta freight route to the system's dependability, ruggedness, and real-time fleetwide map updates using a sparse mapping strategy. Burnette explained that the lengthy and difficult Dallas-Atlanta route exemplifies how autonomous trucks can improve the efficiency and resilience of the supply chain while complementing human-driven fleets. The Driver system of Kodiak can operate for six days without rest or recalibration.

Kodiak's Partnerships and Operations

Numerous fleets and carriers, including Ikea, Werner Enterprises, U.S. Xpress, 10 Roads Express, and Ceva Logistics, utilize the company's freight transportation services.

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