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AEV Summit: Autonomous trucking set to leap from science experiment

‘It’s no longer a question of if the technology’s going to happen. But I believe it’s a question of when,” says Kodiak Robotics co-founder and CEO

Kodiak Robotics CEO and co-founder Don Burnette (right) with FreightWaves Detroit Bureau Chief Alan Adler.

This keynote recap is from FreightWaves’ Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Summit on Wednesday.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Why autonomous trucking is really a science project

DETAILS: Industry pioneer Don Burnette explains why experimentation has been key to the development of autonomous trucking technology — and that the industry is poised to leap to a viable commercial product. He talks with FreightWaves Detroit Bureau Chief Alan Adler. 

SPEAKER: Burnette is the co-founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics. 


BIO: Burnette began his career working as the software technology lead for Google’s self-driving car project, the precursor to Waymo. He went on to found the first self-driving truck startup, Otto. He co-founded Kodiak Robotics two years after Uber acquired Otto. Kodiak has focused its efforts on developing technology for autonomous long-haul trucking.

KEY QUOTES FROM BURNETTE

“Trial and error is what makes significant progress at the end of the day.”

“I think we are at a pivotal moment in the autonomous industry. It’s no longer a question of if the technology’s going to happen. But I believe it’s a question of when.”

“Now what comes next? … Building your safety case — that’s the comprehensive evaluation that proves for us that this Kodiak driver is going to be safer than the average truck driver.”

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Nate Tabak

Nate Tabak is a Toronto-based journalist and producer who covers cybersecurity and cross-border trucking and logistics for FreightWaves. He spent seven years reporting stories in the Balkans and Eastern Europe as a reporter, producer and editor based in Kosovo. He previously worked at newspapers in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the San Jose Mercury News. He graduated from UC Berkeley, where he studied the history of American policing. Contact Nate at [email protected].