Gatik, an autonomous driving company, has entered into a strategic partnership with Isuzu Motors to accelerate the mass production of self-driving trucks. Under the agreement, the Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer will invest $30 million into the California-based firm.
The collaboration aims to establish a dedicated facility for producing trucks with Level 4 autonomy, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. These vehicles will operate without human input in specific geographic areas, functioning on a “Freight Only” basis.
Operations at the new facility, whose location is yet to be determined, are expected to commence in 2027. Gatik and Isuzu have been collaborating since 2021. According to Gatik, the new agreement will see the two companies work on designing and developing trucks equipped with “robust and safety-critical redundant systems, including braking, steering, and sensors, as well as software.”
“This partnership, coupled with Isuzu’s investment in Gatik, signals the company’s confidence in our technology and our world-class team, and we’re excited to bring autonomous transportation to the market at significant scale in the coming years,” said Gautam Narang, Gatik CEO and co-founder.
Gatik is the sole provider of autonomous middle-mile logistics services in North America, utilizing Class 3-7 trucks for medium-distance logistics between distribution centers and retail locations. The company currently operates in Texas, Arkansas, and Ontario, Canada.
Isuzu’s entry into the autonomous middle-mile market will be through its Low Cab Forward (LCF) trucks, a segment in which it already has a strong presence with conventional vehicles in North America. The first autonomous LCFs from the new production line will be available to Gatik’s fleet customers.
Gatik’s partners include major retailers like Kroger, which uses the vehicles for delivery services in Dallas, and Walmart in Arkansas. The company also has agreements with Pitney Bowes and Georgia-Pacific. While Gatik’s autonomous trucks currently operate with safety drivers on board, the fleet has completed over 600,000 orders with a perfect safety record.
The new facility and collaboration with Isuzu represent a significant step forward in the autonomous vehicle industry, moving beyond retrofitting existing trucks with self-driving technology to creating dedicated autonomous vehicles from the ground up.
