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Kodiak Robotics has formally reach off two autonomous trucks to client Atlas Energy Solutions , marking the inauguration ’s first commercial-grade launching .
Atlas , a supplier of proppant ( i.e. , sand ) and oilfield logistics , received its first Kodiak - equipped trucks in December and began driverless trading operations in an off - road surround in West Texas ’s remote Permian Basin briefly after . The fellowship has already pitch 100 loads using self - aim truck without a human safety number one wood behind the wheel , accord to Kodiak laminitis and CEO Don Burnette .
“ This is the first time , as far as we ’re aware , that the client is own and operating the driverless vehicle , rather of the AV company , and we think this is the modeling of the time to come , ” Burnette told TechCrunch .
Until now , Kodiak — and its competitors in the place likeAurora Innovationand Waabi — has performed commercial pilots for customers on highways with human condom drivers behind the steering wheel . During these pilot , Kodiak - owned trucks track down freight on behalf of shippers or carrier . The goal , though , is to deal the AI Driver - as - a - Solution to companies like Atlas . In other words , Kodiak and others do n’t want to run their own shipping operations in the long run , but rather focalise on sell the self - driving engineering science .
For comparing , in the robotaxi manufacture , company like Waymo and formerly Cruise have owned and run their own ride - hail services , but Waymo ’s recentpartnerships with UberandMoovitsignal that the company may eventually bow out of engage such service , too .
Kodiak first declare itspartnership with Atlas in July 2024after the two complete Kodiak ’s first driverless political campaign hand over frac sand in West Texas ’s remote Permian Basin — an unstructured , off - road environment . While Kodiak still has participating pilot light run freight on highways and plan to engage long - catch sovereign truckage , the Atlas mass is a key part of the inauguration ’s approximate - term go - to - market strategy .
Off - road liberty has its own set of unequalled challenge — like a constantly changing landscape and no HD maps to rely on — but it presents a fast path to gross than main road driving , agree to Burnette .
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And that bet is already bearing yield .
Kodiak is now render gross from Atlas through a combined hardware and software package annual subscription that include the cost of Kodiak ’s modular sensors , which are fitted onto the Atlas - owned truck , as well as the self - drive software , monitoring , and update services .
“ We desegregate APIs into [ the client ’s shipping management system ] that allow Atlas to use their existing tools to in effect tell the driverless trucks where to go , ” Burnette say . “ But more significantly , they control the logistics . We ’re not necessitate in that . We just ensure that while the trucks are operating , that they ’re up , they ’re healthy , they ’re secure , and if there are any issues , we can mistreat in and perform upkeep . ”
Atlas , which operate across the 75,000 - satisfying - mile Permian Basis in Texas and New Mexico , plan to descale its driverless hauling deployment over the course of the twelvemonth , so Kodiak has launch an spot in nearby Odessa , Texas to tolerate Atlas ’ operation — an 18,000 - square - foot readiness with a team of 12 Kodiak employees . Kodiak intends to arise that turn to about 20 hoi polloi by the end of the first quarter .
