Driverless trucking gives the mileage counter a permanent position
Kodiak agreed to supply DTL Transport with 75 self-driving trucks starting in 2028. A preceding pilot used a human safety operator; Kodiak plans a separate driverless highway launch in December. The future supply deal uses a per-mile technology licensing model.
The story
Kodiak agreed to supply DTL Transport with 75 self-driving trucks starting in 2028. A preceding pilot used a human safety operator; Kodiak plans a separate driverless highway launch in December. The future supply deal uses a per-mile technology licensing model.
Source: techcrunch.com
Our reading
The driver may eventually leave the cab, but the mileage counter has secured a long-term position. Kodiak wants customers to own the trucks while it licenses the technology by the mile. Automation has found a role that still requires a reassuringly traditional payment arrangement.
The distinction matters. A safety operator sat behind the wheel during the earlier pilot. That does not mean the trucks promised for 2028 come with a compulsory human. It means the demonstration and the delivery are different stages, a distinction that promotional language tends to cover at motorway speed.
Kodiak says it does not want to run a trucking company. There is a pleasing economy to selling the part that gives directions while somebody else owns the vehicle. The lorry can do without a driver; the invoice will still know exactly how far it travelled.
