Kodiak Robotics, an autonomous vehicle technology maker, has integrated NXP Semiconductors’ automotive processors and in-vehicle networking interfaces to enhance the performance and reliability of its autonomous trucking system.
The partnership, announced Wednesday, integrates NXP’s automotive solutions into the Kodiak Actuation Control Engine (ACE). ACE is Kodiak’s custom-built computer that manages vehicle actuation or, more simply, turning the electric or mechanical signals into motion.
This supports Kodiak’s AI-powered autonomous system, called the Kodiak Driver, and allows the system to run a safe fallback maneuver and bring the vehicle to a stop if either a safety-critical component or the Kodiak Driver fails.
NXP’s hardware includes an S32G3 vehicle network processor, S32K3 microcontroller, VR5510 multi-channel high-voltage power management integrated circuit, and PF53 core supply regulator. These have been incorporated to enable safety-critical functions such as redundant braking, steering, throttle control, and vehicle performance monitoring.
“Safety is the foundation of everything we do at Kodiak, and a responsibility we have taken seriously since day one,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak, in a press release. “Driverless trucks require powerful and reliable safety-critical computing platforms which meet our rigorous safety standards.”
These components are compliant with the highest ISO 26262 safety integrity level (ASIL-D), and correspond to fewer than 10 failures in 1 billion hours of operation. This compliance helps, as autonomous truck and technology makers are under additional scrutiny for backup systems compared to trucks with a physical driver in them.
“Autonomous driving systems demand a level of safety and reliability that leaves no room for compromise,” said Robert Moran, general manager and vice president of automotive processors at NXP. “Our ISO 26262-compliant S32 compute solutions are designed to support that level of rigor—delivering the real-time performance and functional integrity needed to help companies like Kodiak bring advanced autonomous capabilities to market with confidence.”
The collaboration has already yielded results, with Kodiak currently deploying its trucks in commercial operations with Atlas Energy Solutions and having announced that it is going public via the special-purpose acquisition company Ares Acquisition Corp. II.
