Self-driving trucking company, Kodiak Robotics is partnering with IKEA Supply Chain Operations to pilot autonomous freight deliveries in Texas.
Under this co-operation, a Kodiak autonomous heavy-duty truck is being used to transport IKEA products between the IKEA Distribution Center in Baytown and the IKEA Store in Frisco.
This pilot will help provide a better understanding of how Kodiak’s autonomous technology affects road safety and working conditions for truck drivers.
The self-driving truck is monitored by an on-board safety truck driver who picks up a loaded trailer at the distribution centre and oversees the autonomous delivery to the store.
Dariusz Mroczek, Category Area Transport Manager, IKEA Supply Chain Operations said:We are proud to be working with Kodiak to achieve our ambitious goals of being at the forefront of innovation and building capabilities for future transportation. Kodiak's technology will contribute towards our objective to put the driver in focus in the transition towards automated transportation and towards our road safety agenda.
A recent study from the University of California San Diego also indicated that autonomous trucks are more fuel-efficient, as they consume roughly 10% less fuel that traditional manually driven trucks.
Don Burnette, Founder and CEO, Kodiak Robotics said:IKEA and Kodiak share a commitment to putting safety first. Together we can enhance safety, improve working conditions for drivers, and create a more sustainable freight transportation system. Adopting autonomous trucking technology can improve drivers' quality of life by focusing on the local driving jobs most prefer to do. We look forward to working with the IKEA carrier partners to bring these benefits to the IKEA supply chain.
