Kodiak

America is the home of innovation. We’re dedicated to providing autonomous solutions that strengthen the industries that power America. From keeping shelves stocked to safeguarding our freedom, Kodiak is committed to delivering the technology that underpins the American way of life. Happy 4th of July!

We spotted some amazing entries in the Women In Trucking Association's I ❤️ Trucking Photo Contest this year, and guess what? Kodiak’s in the mix! WIT’s dedication to empowering women in the industry is truly inspiring, and we’re proud to support their mission. At Kodiak, we have a fantastic cross-functional team of women, from safety drivers to engineers, building the future of trucking. Use the link in the comments to check out our photo (and all the fantastic entries from the trucking community!), and cast your vote for Kodiak. Your support will fuel the entire Kodiak team.

Over the last two years, legislators have introduced bills in a dozen states that would ban the deployment of autonomous trucks. Delaware’s SB 258 was the latest of these bills to be defeated. We understand the concerns some have about autonomous vehicles, and that’s a conversation we value. But we are incredibly optimistic about the potential of self-driving vehicles, and we’re glad that policymakers nationwide share our optimism. Safety is paramount – it’s at the core of everything we do at Kodiak. We’re committed to developing technology that makes our roads safer for everyone. Statistics show human error is the major factor in accidents. Autonomous vehicles, programmed to follow traffic laws and react faster than humans, will reduce crashes. The potential to revolutionize transportation and improve lives is undeniable. A big thank you to the Senators who voted against SB 258, and who have voted to keep America a leader in safety innovation.

What do Harpoon Ventures and The Fast and The Furious have in common? You know that scene in Fast 8, "The Fate of the Furious," where there's the climactic high-speed chase in the Arctic towards the end of the movie? You'll see one of the main protagonists zipping around in a futuristic-looking tank. Its blisteringly fast with eye-watering agility. It's perfect for the Fast franchise... Well, that's no movie prop - thats the Textron Systems Ripsaw. Kodiak Robotics, a Harpoon portfolio company, and Textron are working together to integrate autonomous technology into the Ripsaw light-tank. This partnership aims to leverage Kodiak's autonomous driving technology, known as the Kodiak Driver, which has been extensively tested and validated in their long-haul trucking operations. The system being developed will feature Kodiak’s DefensePods, which are robust, modular sensor enclosures adapted for defense and national security autonomy applications. These innovative pods can be easily swapped out by technicians without specialized training, facilitating maintenance and adaptability in field operations. This joint initiative not only enhances the capabilities of our military ground systems but also aims to bolster operational safety by deploying uncrewed vehicles to perform high-risk tasks, drastically reducing the risk to human operators on the battlefield. We are excited at the work that Kodiak and Textron are undertaking and look forward to seeing their technology hit the battlespace in the future. ⇀

Imagine you’re cruising down the highway at 65 mph and your phone vibrates as a text comes in. A quick glance to read takes just 4.6 seconds, according to studies. But at that speed, it’s the equivalent of driving more than the length of a football field, blind. The consequences can be devastating. In 2022 alone, distracted drivers caused crashes that tragically took over 3,000 lives and injured nearly 300,000 people. The road is no place for distractions. That’s why we’re building the Kodiak Driver. Our autonomous system is programmed to focus solely on the road, eliminating the risk of human error and keeping everyone safer.

Ever get blinded by the setting sun while driving? The Kodiak Driver doesn’t need a visor. Its advanced sensors, like LiDAR and radar, see clearly through glare, keeping the road ahead safe – no matter the time of day. Even its cameras are specially tuned to see as much as possible when looking directly into the sun. They don’t squint or look away, unlike us humans! Here’s the tech behind it: Unlike cameras, which struggle with bright sunlight, LiDAR uses lasers to create a 3D map of the environment. For its part, radar excels at detecting objects through rain, fog, and even glaring light. Kodiak Vision, our perception system, acts like a master conductor, constantly analyzing data from all these sensors simultaneously. This allows the Kodiak Driver to maintain a clear understanding of the road, even when human vision would be compromised. Always vigilant: Kodiak Vision is constantly scanning the environment, unaffected by temporary distractions like bright light. This vigilance is further enhanced by rigorous testing in simulations where we can recreate even the most challenging lighting conditions, ensuring the Kodiak Driver is prepared for anything.

The battlefield, and the world it encompasses, is rarely uniform. For Autonomous Ground Vehicles (AGVs) to be truly effective, they need to be adaptable. This means handling everything from smooth highways to treacherous off-road terrain, integrating seamlessly into diverse vehicle platforms, and navigating unpredictable, even hostile environments - all while prioritizing absolute safety. That’s where Kodiak comes in. Our innovative DefensePods are our autonomous system’s eyes and ears, built to be modular and rugged. They attach to a wide range of vehicles, transforming them into capable AGVs. The brains behind the operation is the AI-enabled Kodiak Driver, a powerful virtual driver unlike any other. It’s specifically designed to handle the complexities of real-world missions, constantly learning and adapting to ensure safe and successful completion of any task, on any terrain. Together, Kodiak’s hardware and software form a uniquely adaptable and capable autonomous solution.

Calling all AIQCon attendees! Kodiak’s Director of Autonomy, Collin Otis, is bringing the future of autonomous vehicles to the stage. His talk, “Eighty-Thousand Pound Robots: AI Development & Deployment at Kodiak Speed,” digs into the unique challenges of building and deploying safe, reliable AI for large autonomous vehicles. Join Collin on June 25 from 1:25-1:55 PST for a peek inside Kodiak’s development process, where speed meets safety at every turn. He’ll cover everything from system architecture and training to the critical validation pipeline that keeps Kodiak trucks rolling 24/7. The future of AI is on the road, and you won’t want to miss this chance to be a part of the conversation.

We’re teaming up with Artur Express, Inc., a champion for drivers, to revolutionize trucking with self-driving technology. This partnership keeps drivers at the forefront, leveraging AI to operate long-haul lanes, while drivers handle the customer-facing miles. Together, we’re building a safer, more efficient future for trucking.

Juneteenth marks a pivotal moment in American history, a day to celebrate the enduring spirit of the African American community and the ongoing fight for equality and justice. It’s a day to honor Black joy, resilience, and the richness of our communities.