Kodiak AI, Charger Logistics launch autonomous Laredo lane

Kodiak AI and Charger Logistics have launched an autonomous freight service on a 435-mile route between Dallas and Laredo, Texas, according to a press release on Thursday. The trucks transport refrigerated and dry van cargo for consumer packaged goods and food and beverage clients. The inaugural delivery commenced on September 8.

A safety driver remains in the driver's seat at present. The companies aim to transition the route to fully autonomous operation once Kodiak completes its safety assessment. Kodiak's long-haul Autonomy Readiness Measure, which monitors the proportion of claims and evidence in the safety case, reached 96% by the end of September, up from 93% at the end of August and 84% in February.

Kodiak intends to roll out long-haul driverless service by the end of 2026 on its Dallas-Houston corridor along Interstate 45. The company's driverless trucks have been operating commercially in the Permian Basin since December 2024. The Laredo route is Kodiak's inaugural service to this high-volume commercial land port of entry in the U.S., which handled over $350 billion in international trade in 2025, accounting for nearly 40% of all U.S. trade with Mexico.

Consumer packaged goods and food and beverage goods follow consistent, high-volume patterns driven by retail replenishment schedules, making reliable transit times and extended operating hours highly valuable. Charger Logistics is an asset-based carrier active in the U.S. and Mexico, specializing in temperature-controlled freight among its primary service offerings.

They run their network via a proprietary transportation management system and in-house applications. Andy Khera, president of Charger Logistics, commented on the announcement, stating, "Autonomy enables us to construct a network that satisfies both our customers and our drivers." "Integrating our in-house TMS, managed transportation, and the Kodiak Driver yields a nearly fully automated ecosystem that ensures long-term capacity stability amidst fluctuating labor markets and freight demand, while bringing our drivers home each night."

Kodiak plans to introduce additional lanes in Charger's network as the carrier incorporates the Kodiak Driver into its own fleet. Charger Logistics also has an autonomous trucking contract with Aurora Innovation on the same route. Aurora announced in late July that Charger would utilize Aurora's second-generation driverless trucks between Dallas and Laredo.

This agreement, reported in August, is a transportation-as-a-service arrangement under which Aurora holds the U.S. Department of Transportation operating authority, manages the vehicle, and assumes liability insurance. "Charger approached us with their desired autonomy outcomes and the conditions they require before scaling up," stated Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak.

"The Dallas-Laredo corridor expands the Kodiak Driver into a new region, providing both firms with the operational foundation necessary to scale autonomous services."