Just 16 months after forming, self-driving truck startup Kodiak Robotics Inc. has announced that it has started making its first commercial deliveries with a safety driver behind the wheel.

Kodiak has also announced its new facility in North Texas, which will help the company support its growing testing and freight operations.

“We could not be more excited to announce our expansion into Texas, with an office in the DFW area,” says Don Burnette, CEO and co-founder of Kodiak Robotics.

“In just over a year, we've gone from founding Kodiak to putting our trucks on the road and hauling freight for customers. Making such rapid progress wouldn't be possible without our strong, experienced team, who've been working with autonomous vehicles since the early days of the industry. As industry veterans, we've seen where self-driving technology has fallen short, and have a clear vision for how to make it work and work safely.”

With a goal of revolutionizing long-haul trucking, Kodiak says that it operates as a “true freight carrier,” as its self-driving trucks operate on “middle mile” highway routes. Since launching in April 2018, Kodiak has not only launched freight operations for customers in Texas, but it has also expanded its fleet of trucks. 

“We are excited that Kodiak Robotics will have a major presence in Texas,” says Dr. Christopher Poe, Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) assistant agency director and connected automated transportation strategy lead. 

“Texas is a leader in the testing and implementation of connected and automated vehicles, and Kodiak's willingness to partner with academia and public agencies to ensure safe deployment of new technology will add significant value to our transportation system.”