Self-driving company Kodiak Robotics hauls freight for CEVA in Texas, Oklahoma
09/03/2022 13:00
By Tina Bellon
AUSTIN, Texas, March 9 (Reuters) - Kodiak Robotics on
Wednesday said it has partnered with France-based CEVA Logistics
to transport freight in self-driving trucks across Texas and
Oklahoma, marking the latest autonomous trucking partnership in
the region.
Kodiak said it began delivering loads for CEVA, which is
subsidiary of French shipping company CMA CGM CMACG.UL , in
November and has since moved goods on a weekly basis on the
roughly 200 mile (320 km) stretch between Dallas-Fort Worth and
Austin in Texas.
The companies in February started to also started to
transport goods between Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma City,
also a roughly 200 mile distance.
California-based Kodiak Robotics said the latest route made
it the first self-driving freight delivery company to operate in
Oklahoma.
While the trucks are using the company's self-driving sensor
and software suite, a safety driver remains behind the wheel at
all times, a spokeswoman said.
"Kodiak and CEVA are focused on serving Dallas-Fort Worth,
Austin and Oklahoma City, because they cover some of the richest
freight corridors in the U.S.," Kodiak Chief Executive Don
Burnette said in a statement.
Texas and the extended U.S. South have become a testing
center for the growing self-driving trucking industry. At least
four autonomous trucking companies are testing in Texas, where
weather and regulation are favorable to the companies.
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2UC2ZU
(Reporting by Tina Bellon in Austin; Editing by Cynthia
Osterman)
((Tina.Bellon@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 573 5029; Reuters
Messaging: tina.bellon.thomsonreuters@reuters.net; Twitter
@TinaBellon))