Kodiak Robotics, the autonomous truck startup, will receive $49.9 million to help the US military develop self-driving vehicles for reconnaissance, surveillance and other “high-risk” missions.
The Mountain View, California-based company, which primarily builds self-driving systems for trucks, will develop the vehicles for the US Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle program. According to Kodiak, under the agreement with the US Department of Defense, cooperation will last for 24 months.
Details on the types of vehicles Kodiak says it plans to develop for the military are still vague
Details on the types of vehicles Kodiak says it plans to develop for the military are still vague. According to the company, “Kodiak will develop autonomous vehicle technology for the military to navigate complex terrain, diverse operational conditions and GPS-challenged environments, while also providing the military with the ability to remotely control vehicles when needed.”
For example, the use of AVs in wartime has the potential to “significantly reduce risk to troops while giving them greater access to the information they need in the field,” adds Kodiak.
“I started Kodiak because I believe autonomous technology can save lives, and helping the US military develop self-driving vehicles for the most challenging work environments fits that purpose perfectly,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics , in a statement.
AVs and the US military-industrial complex go back a long waywith driverless technology getting a huge boost from the DARPA program several decades ago. And, of course, the military routinely deploys drones and other remote-controlled aircraft and vehicles in combat zones.
Kodiak has collaborations with Ikea to move cargo using autonomous trucks. The company recently launched a commercial run from coast to coast between Florida, Texas and California. Kodiak’s trucks operate with safety drivers behind the wheel, although the trucks are controlled by the company’s AV system.
