Kodiak Robotics, an autonomous trucking startup, has announced the launch of its new semi-truck that is set to revolutionize commercial driverless operations. Founder Don Burnette stated that this truck, unlike any other, prioritizes safety by incorporating redundant systems in every critical mechanical component. The redundancy ensures that the vehicle remains safe even in the event of a failure during autonomous operations.
As a venture capital-backed startup, Kodiak has focused on overcoming the challenges faced by the autonomous vehicle industry, which has seen the failure of many startups due to the high costs of designing, developing, and testing autonomous technologies. Even established companies like Cruise have faced setbacks with the sudden discontinuation of operations due to safety concerns after crashes or incidents.
Kodiak’s semi-truck features redundant systems developed and designed in-house, including multiple brake actuators, steering systems, and backup power systems for computers, sensors, actuators, and electrical systems. The company also integrated redundant LTE communications links to ensure constant contact with the truck from its command centers in Texas and California.
Additionally, the truck boasts improvements in sensor hardware, including microphones to detect emergency vehicles. It is equipped with 12 cameras, four LiDAR sensors, and six radar sensors. On the compute side, the semi-truck features double the GPU processor cores, increased processing speed, more memory, and greater bandwidth compared to Kodiak’s previous-generation truck.
Burnette emphasized that the truck’s redundancies ensure its readiness for highway deployment. With five years of extensive testing, covering over 2.5 million miles and transporting 5,000 loads, the truck has been designed for mass production. Burnette expressed that success for Kodiak doesn’t solely depend on dominating the transportation market but also on achieving their goal of 1,000 self-driving trucks in full commercial operation.
Looking forward, Kodiak intends to launch driverless operations between Dallas and Houston in 2024. Unlike its competitors, Kodiak has taken a different approach by remaining truck manufacturer agnostic, allowing the startup to move quickly while maintaining safety as a top priority.
The integration of software into the new trucks and subsequent testing and validation will commence as Kodiak prepares to drive its first driverless mile in 2024, with commercial deployment expected by 2025. Burnette’s vision for Kodiak mirrors the growth trajectory of companies like Cruise and Waymo, starting with small-scale operations that expand over time. The ultimate goal is to have commercially ready trucks available for partner carriers by 2025.
The source of the article is from the blog elblog.pl