Kodiak Expands Partnership With ZF
Autonomous Developer Strikes Deal for Steering Systems as Production Ramp-Up Nears
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Automated truck developer took another step toward production ramp-up with the from component and automotive technology supplier ZF, the companies said.
They have a long-standing relationship, as Kodiak’s founders approached ZF to co-develop a steering system in the autonomous company’s earliest days, according to ZF. Kodiak began integrating the ZF ReAX redundant steering system into trucks equipped with its so-called earlier this year. Kodiak manufacturing partner Roush Industries upfits Driver-equipped trucks with the ReAX steering system at its Livonia, Mich., factory.
As a safety mechanism, if the primary steering actuator fails, the Driver technology can switch to a secondary actuator.
“At ZF, our goal is to offer innovative solutions designed to enhance the autonomous vehicle industry by incorporating redundant components and moving towards fail-safe steering systems, enhancing safety, precision and AI-driven functionality,” said , ZF head of application engineering, commercial vehicle solutions. “This includes the development of cutting-edge technologies like redundant ReAX, our adaptive electronic steering assist system and our next-generation Electric Power Steering, which enables ZF and our partners to explore new possibilities in autonomous mobility.”
Kodiak sells its self-driving technology through a driver-as-a-service model, with fleets paying a per-mile or per-vehicle licensing fee to access trucks and support.
At the moment, Driver is being retrofitted on to trucks. This is a departure from peers such as Aurora Innovation, ý and Plus, which install their products on specifically designed tractors at truck makers’ assembly plants.
In Q3 we integrated the Kodiak Driver into four more customer-owned trucks for operations in the Permian Basin. Leading to 10 fully driverless trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver running day and night for Atlas Energy Solutions. — Kodiak AI (@KodiakRobotics)
Roush delivered the first upfitted truck to Kodiak’s biggest customer, Atlas Energy Solutions, in August.
Bulk carrier Atlas — which delivers proppant in West Texas and New Mexico — has taken delivery of eight driverless trucks as part of an initial 100-truck order. Atlas is only operating on private roads.
Safety First
To get trucks on public roads without a driver in the cab — a key development milestone for all autonomous truck developers — Kodiak will need to assuage any safety concerns. Toward this goal, the company in June forged a partnership with remote driving specialist Vay.
Under the deal, Vay’s remote driving setup – called Vay Station – will be integrated with Kodiak’s Assisted Autonomy system.
Assisted Autonomy enables a Kodiak team member to remotely control a truck during low-speed and clearly defined scenarios, such as entering or leaving a customer’s facility or interacting with first responders. With the integration, Kodiak drivers will sit at Vay Stations — which feature a steering wheel, pedals and other vehicle controls.
Germany’s Vay is best known in the U.S. for introducing remotely driven cars to rental customers in Las Vegas. The service could be viewed as a twist on the rideshare experience offered by Uber Freight parent Uber Inc. or Lyft.
With Kodiak, the integrated Assisted Autonomy and Vay Station setup would likely only be used a small percentage of the time Kodiak’s trucks are on a run, Chief Technical Officer Andreas Wendel told Transport Topics in June.
Production Plans for 2026
Roush and Kodiak hope to scale production up to hundreds of trucks by the end of 2026, Kodiak said. That commercialization plan is being advanced in part by funds raised via Kodiak’s Sept. 25 special purpose acquisition merger with Ares Acquisition Corp. II, which took Kodiak public.
Previously known as Kodiak Robotics, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company is now valued at about $2.5 billion. Kodiak will receive more than $212.5 million from institutional investors as a result of the merger.
AACT shareholders approved the merger Sept. 23. The SPAC is affiliated with Ares Management Corp., a New York-based investment firm with $572 billion in assets under management.
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