Can autonomous trucks really make highways safer?

Kodiak AI, a leading provider of AI-powered autonomous driving technology, has spent years quietly proving that self-driving trucks can work in the real world. The company's core system, the Kodiak Driver, brings software and hardware together in a practical way. As the company explains, "The Kodiak Driver combines advanced AI-driven software with modular, vehicle-agnostic hardware into a single, unified platform." 

That approach matters because trucking is not a closed lab environment. It is highways, weather, fatigue and long hours. Kodiak's strategy focuses on solving those realities first.

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During a recent episode of CyberGuy's "Beyond Connected" podcast, Kurt spoke with Daniel Goff, vice president of external affairs at Kodiak AI, about how attitudes toward autonomous trucks have shifted over time.

WILL AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS REPLACE DRIVERS BY 2027?

Goff described how different the reaction was when the company first launched. "Kodiak was founded in 2018, and I joined in 2019. When I first started at the company, I said I worked for a company that was working to build trucks that drive themselves, and people kind of looked at me like I was crazy. Over the last few years, we've really seen autonomous vehicles capture the public's imagination. We've seen them grow in the real world. I think that people are getting more used to this idea."

For Goff, that shift has come from seeing the technology operate safely outside of test environments, where performance matters more than hype.

One of Kodiak AI's central arguments is simple. Machines avoid many of the risks that come with human driving. "We think there are advantages to this technology that humans, myself included, can't match. You know this technology doesn't get distracted. It doesn't check its phone. It doesn't have a phone. It doesn't have a bad day to take it out on the road. It doesn't speed. It doesn't know how to speed. You know they're pretty boring drivers." In trucking, boring is often a good thing.

Kodiak AI is already doing this on real roads. The company has been running active freight routes for years, not just testing in controlled settings. "Kodiak's headquarters are in Mountainview, California, but since 2019, we've had a command center in Lancaster, Texas, which is just south of Dallas. Since 2019, we've actually been delivering freight from that Lancaster hub to Houston, Oklahoma City and Atlanta with what we call a safety driver behind the wheel."

Those real-world miles have helped Kodiak fine-tune its system in everyday traffic, weather and long-haul conditions.

Long-haul trucking is essential to the U.S. economy, but it is also one of the most demanding and risky jobs on the road. Drivers spend long stretches away from home, work extended hours and operate heavy vehicles in all conditions. As Goff put it, "Driving a truck is one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs that people do in the United States every day. You know, being a truck driver means, for at least a long haul truck driver, means you're away from your family for sometimes days, weeks, even months at a time, sleeping in the back of the truck."

He also pointed to federal safety rules that limit how long drivers can stay behind the wheel, which are meant to reduce fatigue but also restrict how much freight one person can move in a day. "If you're driving the 11-hour legal maximum per day and there are people who love being long-haul truckers, but we’re not seeing people stepping up for those roles anymore in this country, and drivers are retiring every year."

Those realities have contributed to ongoing driver shortages and growing pressure on the freight system. Kodiak believes autonomous technology is best used where the job is hardest and most repetitive. "The goal for this technology is really best suited for those really tough jobs. The long lonely highway miles, the trucking and remote locations where people either don't wanna live or don't or can't easily live."

Goff also highlighted how much capacity is lost simply because trucks sit idle for most of the day. "The average truck is driven about seven hours a day in the US, and you know there are 24 hours a day, so that's a lot of time just sitting there."

Autonomy, he said, could help change that math. "The goal of the technology is that you can basically run 24/7, just kind of stopping to refuel, to inspect the truck for safety, and you know, other than that, the trucks are moving."

Kodiak AI emphasizes data over promises. "We've driven over 3 million miles with a safety driver behind the wheel for most of those miles, meaning somebody ready to take over at any time. So, we got a very good track record." To put that into perspective, Goff added, "The average American drives about 800,000 miles in their lifetime, which seems crazy. That's a lot of driving, but we're at almost 4 average lifetimes with our system today, and we also use computer simulation, all sorts of things to assess the safety of the system."

In addition to its long-haul operations, Kodiak AI works with Atlas Energy Solutions, which does oil logistics in the Permian Basin of West Texas and eastern New Mexico. As of Q3 2025, the company has delivered 10 driverless trucks to Atlas, which autonomously deliver sand up to 24 hours a day with no human operator in the cab. Goff says, "We see our work in the Permian as a perfect sandbox for our long-haul operations."

The company has also sought third-party validation. "Additionally, we have done external-facing studies. We did a study with a company called Nauto, which is one of the leaders in AI-enabled dashcams. They actually help vehicle fleets compute safety scores from an outside perspective. Our system scored the highest ever in the Nauto safety score."

THE ROAD TO PROSPERITY WILL BE PAVED BY AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING

Policy is another key factor in adoption. "From a regulatory perspective. 25 states have passed laws allowing autonomous vehicle deployment." Goff believes the danger of everyday driving makes the case clear. "I think people who think about transportation every day understand how dangerous driving a car is, driving a truck is, and just being on the road see the potential for this technology."

Autonomous trucking still raises concerns among safety advocates and everyday drivers. Critics question whether software can respond fast enough in emergencies, handle unpredictable human behavior or make judgment calls during complex highway situations.

Kodiak AI says those concerns are exactly why safety comes first. As Goff explained, "In this industry in particular, we really understand how important it is to be safe."

The company argues that autonomous systems must earn trust over time through real-world performance, transparent testing and measurable results, not promises or hype.

For everyday drivers, autonomous trucks raise understandable questions. Sharing the road with a vehicle controlled by software can feel unsettling, especially when headlines often focus on what could go wrong. Kodiak's argument is that safety improves when fatigue, distraction and emotional decision-making are removed from long highway driving. If the technology continues to perform as claimed, the impact could show up in quieter ways. That includes fewer tired drivers on overnight routes, more predictable freight movement and potentially safer highways over time. For consumers, it could also mean fewer delivery delays and less strain on a trucking system already short on drivers.

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Autonomous trucking is not a future concept anymore. Kodiak AI is already moving freight and collecting real safety data on public roads. At the same time, skepticism remains healthy and necessary. Trust in this technology will rise or fall based on transparency, regulation and long-term performance, not promises. The real question is no longer whether self-driving trucks can operate. It is whether they can consistently prove they make roads safer for everyone who shares them.

Would you trust autonomous trucks more if they could show a better safety record than human drivers over time? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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