Pilot announces plans for autonomous truckport

Truckers traveling through Atlanta will soon be getting a glimpse into the possible autonomous future of the trucking industry.

On Aug. 23, the Pilot Co. – operators of Pilot Flying J travel centers – announced plans to create an autonomous truckport at one of its locations in the Atlanta area.

The addition will be the collaborative efforts of the Knoxville, Tenn.-based truck stop giant and self-driving trucking company Kodiak Robotics Inc. In what Pilot is calling a “strategic investment,” two companies will work to develop autonomous truck services at Pilot and Flying J locations. As part of the partnership, Pilot will be joining Kodiak’s board of directors.

In a statement, Pilot said the partnership with the Mountain View, Calif.-based robotics firm “will play a crucial role in the deployment of autonomous trucks. … The partnership will further define service and maintenance requirements, operational necessities, facilities planning, and more to meet the needs of autonomous trucks.”

According to Pilot, the location will offer a number of services for autonomous vehicles, including space:

• To pick up and drop off autonomous trucking loads
• To conduct inspections
• To maintain and refuel trucks

Additionally, Pilot said the truckports will offer carriers the ability to transfer data for processing, such as feature development and mapping.

For Kodiak, the partnership is the next step in its growth. The company has been delivering freight commercially since 2019. The company operates six routes that run regularly between Dallas and Houston; Austin, Texas; San Antonio; Atlanta; Oklahoma City; and Jacksonville, Fla.

“Pilot Co.’s industry-leading network of highway-adjacent travel centers provides unprecedented geographic reach for the launch and scale of Kodiak’s fast-growing network of autonomous trucking lanes,” Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics, said in a statement.

The move is the most recent example of Pilot adding to its services while looking toward the future. Earlier this year, the company partnered with General Motors to develop a coast-to-coast fast charging network for electric vehicles. John Tully, vice president of strategy and business development at Pilot, said while the partnership is a big-picture type move, they won’t lose sight of keeping the truckers of today on the road.

“In making this strategic investment, we understand that our customers have a need for real solutions that help address the growing demand to move goods and Kodiak is a strong leader in the autonomous trucking space,” Tully said in a statement. “As we explore the future of autonomous trucks and how we can best support these customers, we will continue to be the travel center network that the trucking industry and professional drivers can count on for the services and care they need.”

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has been vocal about its concerns regarding automated technology and the possible effects it could have on drivers. In a 2020 letter to the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration, OOIDA urged the government to require transparency from manufacturers.

“OOIDA believes that any process to advance automated technology should be met with mandatory data transparency from manufacturers,” the Association wrote. “This will help educate consumers, the industry, and regulators about the actual reliability of autonomous technology. Data transparency is essential to ensure the safety of the motoring public.” LL