Kodiak Robotics Awarded Contract for Autonomous US Army Reconnaissance Vehicles

Kodiak Robotics, Inc., a US self-driving trucking company, has been awarded a $49.9 million contract from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to help automate future US Army ground vehicles. This effort will be in support of vehicles designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, and other high-risk missions.

Kodiak will develop autonomous vehicle technology for the US Army to navigate complex terrain, diverse operational conditions and GPS-challenged environments, while also providing the Army the ability to remotely operate vehicles when necessary.

Deploying autonomous vehicles to perform critical and dangerous tasks has the potential to significantly reduce the risk to troops, while giving them greater access to the information they need in the field. 

In the first year of this effort, Kodiak will build upon its core competency by applying its autonomous software stack for Army specific use cases, including future Army vehicles.

In year two, the company will implement its autonomous driving system on off-road vehicles capable of traversing complex terrain and operating remotely in unpredictable and austere conditions.

Kodiak is developing a technology stack purpose-built specifically for long-haul trucks.

Don Burnette, founder and CEO, Kodiak Robotics, says: "I started Kodiak because I believe autonomous technology can save lives, and helping the U.S. Army develop driverless vehicles for the most challenging operating environments fits perfectly with that goal. We are proud to have the opportunity to leverage our cutting-edge self-driving technology for defense applications, and believe our work with DIU and the U.S. Army will both help strengthen national security and hasten our path to commercial deployment. We owe a debt of gratitude to the servicemen and women who step into harm's way to keep us safe; keeping them safe in return is an honor we take seriously."

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 to develop autonomous technology that carries freight forward.