The average age of a truck driver in the U.S. is about 48; for long-haul truckers, the average age is even higher, which could explain why there was a shortage of 80,000 drivers in the U.S. last year, according to the American Trucking Association.
Kodiak Robotics' autonomous technology for long-haul transport trucks, kodiakDriver, includes a modular hardware system, called SensorPods™, which integrates most of the sensors needed to "see" its surroundings using the truck's usual mirror mounting points.
Many industry analysts believe that commercial trucking is destined to be the primary application of autonomous vehicle technology, as highway driving is a less complicated problem to solve compared to the many subtleties involved in navigating secondary roads and city streets.
Furthermore, from an economic perspective, the trucking sector can better leverage vehicle autonomy. The cost of an autonomous driving system is more easily recouped in a truck that travels between 1.5 and 3 million kilometers. In addition, on average, a truck driven by a person is only used for 7.5 hours per day due to restrictions on operating hours.
Kodiak Robotics addresses the autonomy of long-distance truck transport
In this context, Kodiak Robotics was founded in 2018 with the goal of developing autonomous technology for the long-haul segment that can be integrated into operators' fleets. Kodiak's autonomous solution, kodiakDriver, includes a modular hardware system called SensorPods™, which integrates most of the sensors needed to "see" its surroundings using the truck's standard mirror mounting points. The modular design of these devices allows them to be connected and disconnected in minutes, maximizing fleet uptime without requiring specialized technicians to install the devices and recalibrate the sensor network.
Kodiak relies exclusively on its Sparse Maps, which contain only the information necessary for autonomous driving, instead of high-resolution maps that include a large amount of data and are difficult to update. These maps are complemented by Kodiak Vision, a comprehensive sensor fusion system that uses data from radar, cameras, and lidar to provide a comprehensive view of the road in all conditions.
Since launching its operations center south of Dallas, Texas, in 2019, Kodiak has focused on the secure development of a system capable of handling the demanding long-haul environment. This year, Kodiak has completed several pilot projects with major freight companies, including four nonstop round trips between Dallas and Atlanta, during which the KodiakDriver operated continuously. Since August 2022, Kodiak has been autonomously delivering goods in Texas for IKEA, seven days a week, between a distribution center in Baytown and the IKEA store in Frisco.
“The Kodiak team is comprised of some of the most experienced people in the autonomous vehicle industry,” said Don Burnette, Founder and CEO of the company. “This has allowed us to take the most direct path to success rather than the trial-and-error approach that was common when this industry first emerged.”
Vicor’s power solutions exceed the demanding sensor requirements.
Kodiak quickly identified three areas in the trucking environment where power system design must be uncompromising: reliability, efficiency, and system monitoring capabilities.
These requirements led Kodiak to collaborate with Vicor Corporation's custom design division, Vicor Power Systems (VPS), a subsidiary of Vicor. This division designs high-density, high-performance power systems based on Vicor's power modules, which are ideal for autonomous vehicle systems.
Kodiak's power system utilizes several Vicor power modules to meet the needs of its sensors, which require 12, 24, and 48V power buses. These include Vicor's NBM6123, BCM6123, PRM, and VTM. All of these power modules are part of Vicor's SM ChiP (converter housed in package) line and offer reliable and highly efficient power conversion in very small packages.
Vicor also provided design support to ensure that each system component had controllable outputs and to optimize component status by monitoring voltage and current across all Kodiak sensors. The Kodiak platform includes four core buses dedicated to specific sensors, actuators, and processors. Each output is individually monitored and controlled via a proprietary CAN bus.
Vicor also provides battery charging for a 48V system when the truck is parked and plugged in. The AC mains-connected power system maintains the battery charge level when the engine is off, allowing maintenance technicians and engineers to use the vehicle indoors. A 48V Vicor system in the truck enables Kodiak to reduce wiring, thus saving weight and space, and to use the vehicle in high-power applications.
A radical shift for the future of commercial transport and truckers.
Commercial transport is undervalued but essential for global economic stability. Kodiak is poised to revolutionize this sector with autonomous transport, enabling more reliable and efficient trucking.
