Kodiak lands first commercial deal to supply driverless trucks for public highways
The deal with DTL Transport puts it on a path to become an an asset-light tech supplier, rather than owner and operator.
Kodiak AI has secured its first binding commercial deal for driverless big rigs, with 75 self-driving trucks to be delivered to freight company DTL Transport starting in 2028. This marks a significant milestone for the company, which went public in September 2025 and has been operating under a Trucking-as-a-Service (TaaS) model.
Kodiak plans to launch a driverless highway service in December, initially carrying Ikea goods on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston. DTL Transport, a California mid-market trucking company, will use the self-driving trucks on multiple interstate routes, starting with Dallas to El Paso and Interstate 20 between Dallas and Atlanta.
Kodiak's founder and CEO, Don Burnette, believes mid-market carriers are well-suited for this technology due to their agile nature and willingness to execute quickly. The contract is expected to boost Kodiak's revenue and establish a positive benchmark for the self-driving industry. Kodiak aims to transition from a TaaS model, where it owns and operates the trucks, to a Driver-as-a-Service (DaaS) model, where customers own and operate the trucks and license Kodiak's technology.
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