Kodiak AI Signs First Binding Deal for Driverless Highway Trucks

Kodiak AI has signed a binding commercial deal with DTL Transport to deploy autonomous-driving systems on 75 driverless trucks. The Fresno-based carrier will operate the big rigs on key interstate freight lanes, paying a per-mile fee under Kodiak's Driver-as-a-Service model.

This agreement marks Kodiak's first binding contract for driverless trucks on public highways. It moves the company's commercial model beyond off-road sand hauling in the Permian Basin and onto major freight corridors. DTL Transport is a family-run carrier that has hauled dry and refrigerated freight for grocers for more than 36 years.

DTL Transport expands autonomous operations on key interstate corridors

DTL will initially deploy the autonomous trucks on two specific, tested routes. The first is between Dallas and El Paso, Texas, primarily on Interstate 10. The second is the Interstate 20 corridor between Dallas and Atlanta. The company plans to use the trucks on multiple interstate highway routes.

Kodiak stated these routes will allow DTL to operate beyond current federal hours-of-service limitations. Those rules bar property-carrying drivers from driving more than 11 hours within a 14-hour window. The release did not say whether the driverless trucks will replace DTL's existing driver teams on these lanes. DTL plans to use the technology alongside its workforce to add freight capacity.

Commercial deployment follows successful California perishable goods pilot

The binding deal escalates a partnership forged during a pilot program in California. On September 22, a Kodiak-equipped truck with a safety driver aboard autonomously hauled perishable goods for DTL. The 225-mile route ran from Fresno to Los Angeles on Interstate 5 and State Route 99.

That pilot was the first commercial haul of perishable goods by a Class 8 autonomous truck in California. It was conducted under a heavy-duty autonomous-vehicle testing permit issued by the state's Department of Motor Vehicles in August.

Kodiak advances Driver-as-a-Service model toward full driverless highway operation

Kodiak is transitioning from pilot testing to commercial deployment. The company currently operates a trucking-as-a-service model with several carriers. This deal with DTL is its first for the Driver-as-a-Service model on public highways, where the customer owns and operates the trucks.

Kodiak's founder and CEO, Don Burnette, linked the deal directly to the business model. "This binding agreement reinforces what I have said from the beginning: The Driver-As-A-Service business model is tailor-made for commercial trucking," Burnette said.

DTL's president and CEO, Lucky Dosanjh, emphasized operational benefits. "By integrating this technology into our fleet, complementing our experienced, professional workforce, we can expand capacity, enhance safety and drive innovation forward."

The company has other commercial commitments. Kodiak has installed its autonomous system on 35 driverless trucks owned and operated by Atlas Energy Solutions in the Permian Basin, with plans to grow that fleet to 100 by mid-2027. Atlas was Kodiak's first binding commercial customer under this model starting in 2024.

Kodiak's financial and operational metrics show its scaling efforts. The company reported second-quarter revenue of $3.5 million, up from $503,000 a year earlier. Its Autonomy Readiness Measure reached 93% at the end of August. The company went public in September 2025.

Forecasts for the DTL deal suggest significant potential revenue. Kodiak has forecast annual recurring revenue of $150,000 to $190,000 per truck, assuming a per-mile licensing fee of about $0.97 and 225,000 annual miles. Once all 75 trucks are delivered, the deal could generate at least $11.2 million in annual recurring revenue.

The release did not disclose the specific per-mile rate, contract term, or when the first of the 75 trucks will run without a driver. Kodiak plans to begin driverless highway freight service by the end of 2026, carrying goods for IKEA between Dallas and Houston on Interstate 45. The company aims to remove human safety operators from cabs in December to launch that driverless highway service.