Kodiak Robotics has successfully carried out its inaugural driverless delivery through a new partnership with Atlas Energy Solutions. The autonomous journey took place in the Permian Basin of West Texas, where a Kodiak-equipped truck transported frac sand across a 21-mile route from a depot to a well site, predominantly on dirt roads.
This achievement aligns with Kodiak’s strategic objectives for 2024, as CEO Don Burnette outlined in an interview earlier this year. “Our partnership with Atlas will make us the first autonomous semi-truck company to establish commercial driverless operations and the first company to make autonomous trucking a real business,” Burnette said.
The agreement involves Atlas acquiring two driverless trucks outfitted with Kodiak’s technology. The trucks will operate on private lease roads within the Permian Basin, with commercial operations slated to commence in 2025. The partnership will utilize Kodiak’s “driver-as-a-service” model, which includes a comprehensive hardware and software stack featuring Lidar, radar, cameras, and mapping systems.
Kodiak will also provide ongoing operational support through its operations center in Lancaster, Texas.
Atlas’s Chief Supply Chain Officer, Chris Scholla, emphasized the significance of this development: “The Permian Basin’s expansive private lease road network is an ideal environment for introducing autonomous trucking in North America. With average traffic speeds of under 20 mph, we can deliver a more reliable last-mile solution to our customers.”
In addition to this autonomous trucking initiative, Atlas is also advancing a fully electric conveyor system known as the Dune Express, which will further support logistics operations in the region.
