Agreement For Autonomous Trucking Technology in the US

Driverless Trucks Agreement For Autonomous Trucking Technology in the US

2024-07-24 Source: Based on press release 2 min Reading Time

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Atlas Energy Solutions Inc. and Kodiak Robotics, Inc. have entered into an agreement whereby Kodiak will outfit new Atlas high-capacity trucks with Kodiak’s autonomous driving technology.

Atlas has placed an order for Kodiak-equipped driverless trucks that will deliver frac sand across the Permian Basin’s existing infrastructure of private lease roads.(Bild: Atlas Energy Solutions Inc) — Atlas has placed an order for Kodiak-equipped driverless trucks that will deliver frac sand across the Permian Basin’s existing infrastructure of private lease roads.
(Bild: Atlas Energy Solutions Inc)

The two companies have already completed their first driverless delivery of frac sand in West Texas’s Permian Basin. The 21-mile (approx. 34 kilomters) delivery transported Atlas’s high-quality frac sand from an Atlas depot to a wellsite with no one inside the cab.

The companies also announced that Atlas has placed an order for Kodiak-equipped driverless trucks that will deliver frac sand across the Permian Basin’s existing infrastructure of private lease roads. Early next year, Atlas plans to launch commercial operations using its first two trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver, Kodiak’s industry-leading autonomous system.

Technology via a driver-as-a-service licensing agreement

Kodiak will provide its technology to Atlas via a driver-as-a-service licensing agreement. Atlas will own the trucks, and Kodiak will provide the Kodiak Driver’s fully-redundant, platform-agnostic, hardware and software stack designed for scalable driverless deployment. Kodiak will also provide operational support services, including remote monitoring from its operations center in Lancaster, Texas.
“Atlas’s partnership with Kodiak is another example of the unique culture of innovation that is pervasive inside our organization,” said John Turner, CEO, Atlas.
The hot and dry climate in the Permian Basin makes it one of the world’s most challenging environments for truck drivers. The Kodiak Driver is well equipped to handle driving through harsh conditions, including dust storms that impact visibility and extreme heat.

The Permian Basin’s expansive private lease road network, which expands across the Delaware and Midland Basins, is an ideal environment in which to introduce autonomous trucking in North America

Chris Scholla, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Atlas

With average traffic speeds of under 20 MPH (approx. 32 km/h) on these large swaths of private roads, Atlas can safely deliver a more reliable last-mile solution in the Permian Basin. "This truly represents a step-change in oilfield logistics.”
“Deploying driverless trucks with Atlas marks the beginning of a new era for autonomous vehicles,” said Don Burnette, Founder & CEO, Kodiak. According to the joint press release this will make Atlas the first autonomous semi-truck company to establish commercial driverless operations, and the first company to make autonomous trucking a real business.

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