Technology
Kodiak signs first public-highway deal for 75 driverless trucks
Autonomous-trucking company Kodiak AI will supply 75 driverless trucks to DTL Transport from 2028, its first binding commercial deal for vehicles intended to operate on public highways. DTL plans routes linking Dallas with El Paso and Atlanta after a supervised pilot in California. The contract supports Kodiak’s shift from operating trucks itself to licensing its technology to customers, although its value was not disclosed. Company projections imply roughly $11.2 million in annual recurring revenue once all trucks are delivered, subject to assumptions.
Editorial summary · Publisher article
What matters
- Kodiak expects to begin a driverless highway service without human safety operators in December, initially carrying Ikea freight in Texas.
- DTL’s trucks will start on Dallas–El Paso and Dallas–Atlanta routes where Kodiak has already tested.
- The deal follows a 225-mile supervised pilot moving perishable goods between Fresno and Los Angeles.
- Kodiak’s estimated revenue figure is based on its 2025 investor assumptions, not the disclosed contract value.
From carrier to technology supplier
Kodiak currently runs freight for customers under a Trucking-as-a-Service model. The DTL agreement uses Driver-as-a-Service, in which the customer owns and operates the trucks and pays Kodiak for licensed technology by the mile.
Context & caveats
- The commercial deployment is planned for 2028, and the revenue estimate depends on mileage, pricing and other company assumptions.
Why this made the edition
Reports a binding commercial contract, deployment routes, operating-model change and concrete scale, while clearly distinguishing company projections from disclosed deal economics. It is useful evidence of autonomous trucking moving from pilots toward customer-owned fleets.
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