Robotics & Automation News

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Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous trucking company Kodiak Robotics to go public: What it means and why it matters

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Kodiak Robotics, a startup developing autonomous truck technology, is planning to go public via a merger with Ares Acquisition Corporation II, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).

The deal values Kodiak at approximately $1.1 billion in net proceeds and $2.5 billion in total equity value, according to statements from the company.

While the transaction is still subject to approval by shareholders and regulators, it is expected to close in the second half of 2025. Once completed, Kodiak will be listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol “KDK”. [Read more…] about Autonomous trucking company Kodiak Robotics to go public: What it means and why it matters

Daimler delivers ‘autonomous-ready’ trucks to Torc Robotics

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Daimler Truck North America has delivered a new fleet of autonomous-ready trucks to its subsidiary Torc Robotics, marking a significant milestone in their push toward commercializing driverless freight transport.

The vehicles, built on the newly launched fifth-generation Freightliner Cascadia platform, are now being integrated into Torc’s testing program along one of America’s busiest freight corridors between Laredo and Dallas.

The new trucks represent Daimler’s most advanced Class 8 platform yet, featuring built-in redundancy across critical safety systems such as braking and steering – essential for achieving SAE Level 4 autonomous operation. [Read more…] about Daimler delivers ‘autonomous-ready’ trucks to Torc Robotics

Autonomous truck startup Kodiak to go public

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Autonomous trucking startup Kodiak Robotics is to go public through a merger with Ares Acquisition Corporation II, a special purpose acquisition company affiliated with Ares Management Corporation.

The deal will make Kodiak a publicly listed company under the name Kodiak AI, with shares expected to trade under the ticker symbols KDK and KDK WS, pending regulatory approval.

Founded in 2018 by autonomy pioneer Don Burnette, Kodiak has emerged as a leading player in driverless trucking, developing an AI-powered automated driving system known as the Kodiak Driver. [Read more…] about Autonomous truck startup Kodiak to go public

Top 25 autonomous shuttle manufacturers in 2025

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Although the autonomous shuttle industry has made notable technological strides in recent years, the rollout of these vehicles remains largely restricted to controlled environments such as airports, university campuses, large industrial parks, and gated communities.

These closed-loop settings reduce the complexity of real-world driving and offer safer testbeds for autonomy.

Some autonomous shuttles are being piloted on public roads, but only under strict regulatory conditions imposed by local or national governments. These operations typically require trained safety drivers on board, geo-fencing, and constant remote monitoring. [Read more…] about Top 25 autonomous shuttle manufacturers in 2025

Foretellix and MathWorks partner to develop autonomous vehicles for Mazda

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Foretellix, a provider of data-driven autonomy development toolchains, and MathWorks, a developer of mathematical computing software, are partnering to help build Mazda’s next generation of autonomous vehicles.

This collaboration accelerates the development and deployment of “safer, more robust autonomous systems”, say the companies.

The integration of Foretellix’s Foretify platform with Simulink and Automated Driving Toolbox from MathWorks, enables developers to generate, execute, and analyze large-scale scenarios in a virtual environment. [Read more…] about Foretellix and MathWorks partner to develop autonomous vehicles for Mazda

Waabi and Volvo partner to jointly develop autonomous transportation solutions

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Waabi, a developer of generative AI for the physical world, has entered a strategic partnership with Volvo Autonomous Solutions for the joint development and deployment of autonomous trucks.

The partnership combines Waabi’s groundbreaking innovation in generative AI with Volvo’s leadership in automation and safety innovation to unleash autonomous trucking and usher in a new era of safer, more efficient, and sustainable freight transportation.

Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO of Waabi, says: “At Waabi, we believe that vertically integrating next-generation AI technology directly into an OEM’s vehicle production is the path forward to bring safe, robust autonomous vehicles to the road, at scale. [Read more…] about Waabi and Volvo partner to jointly develop autonomous transportation solutions

Top 10 autonomous truck companies: Powering into the future

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Autonomous trucks are one of the most exciting developments in any automotive category, in our opinion. The main reason we think this is because we can’t see autonomous cars being given permission by governments to operate freely on public roads.

Autonomous trucks, meanwhile, have already racked up many years of happy operating in the mining sector – and that is likely to grow, and maybe encompass moving non-mining materials and goods as well. This might need tweaks such as driving at night on lonely highways, but that’s not a problem if you’re not human, of course.

Whether you compare them to other segments or not, autonomous trucks are at the forefront of technological advancements in transportation. These vehicles are designed to navigate and operate without human intervention, and represent a paradigm shift in logistics, freight, and commercial transportation.

The journey toward autonomous trucking began with prototypes and pilot tests that challenged the boundaries of innovation.

The first autonomous truck to make headlines in this recent era – let’s say the past 10 to 15 years – was a prototype developed by Daimler Trucks, which successfully completed a public road test in Nevada in 2015. This milestone marked the start of widespread interest and investment in autonomous truck technology. [Read more…] about Top 10 autonomous truck companies: Powering into the future

Kodiak partners with Atlas Energy to deliver 100 autonomous ‘RoboTruck’ loads

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Kodiak Robotics, an autonomous truck developer, and Atlas Energy Solutions say that Atlas has completed the delivery of 100 loads of proppant (a sand-like material used to keep fractures open in oil and gas wells) with its two RoboTrucks, semi-trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver, Kodiak’s self-driving system.

This milestone marks the first time ever that a customer has taken ownership of a RoboTruck and launched driverless commercial semi-trucking operations.

The initial driverless operations, which were announced in July 2024, involved Kodiak delivering Atlas’s frac sand along a 21-mile off-road route in West Texas’s Permian Basin with Kodiak-owned driverless trucks. [Read more…] about Kodiak partners with Atlas Energy to deliver 100 autonomous ‘RoboTruck’ loads

Self-Driving Trucks Liability: Insights from a Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

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The transportation sector has seen significant changes since self-driving trucks entered service. Autonomous vehicles use AI and advanced systems including LiDAR and machine learning technologies to deliver better safety outcomes and improve transportation efficiency.

Yet this innovation poses unique legal issues, especially regarding personal injury law cases involving autonomous trucks involved in accidents – when this occurs it becomes an intricate puzzle of assigning liability between multiple parties involved, cutting-edge technology involved and many different companies involved.

This blog explores this in more depth while discussing why legal representation by Houston truck accident lawyer is crucial in helping victims navigate these legal complexities successfully. [Read more…] about Self-Driving Trucks Liability: Insights from a Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

Indy Autonomous Challenge achieves ‘world’s first’ multi-car autonomous race at CES 2025

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The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) made history at CES 2025 with the world’s first successful completion of a multi-car autonomous race.

This groundbreaking event held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway marked a major milestone in the evolution of physical AI and autonomous racing, with four IAC AV-24 fully autonomous racecars piloted by AI drivers from top global university teams competing head-to-head in a 20-lap exhibition race.

The race ended in a thrilling side-by-side photo finish, with Unimore Racing crossing the finish line less than three-tenths of a second faster than Cavalier Autonomous Racing. [Read more…] about Indy Autonomous Challenge achieves ‘world’s first’ multi-car autonomous race at CES 2025