Road safety and fuel saving. These are the goals announced by Ikea in partnering with Kodiak Robotics, an autonomous driving company for long-distance road transport. Since August, a self-driving Kodiak truck has been delivering furniture from an Ikea distribution center near Houston to a retail store near Dallas every day, a journey of almost 500 km.
The trucks are equipped with radars, cameras and multiple detectors. All this is not done without human intervention because the autonomous driving is supervised by a driver who also watches over the smooth running of the delivery. For Ikea and Kodiak, this technology makes long-distance travel safer by improving working conditions for drivers and saving fuel. Less than 10% in fuel consumption thanks to autonomous driving, according to Kodiak. The trucks run on gasoline and the company wants to eventually switch to electricity and hydrogen.
Without replacing drivers
For Don Burnette, the CEO of Kodiak Robotics, interviewed by the American economic media. Forbes, it is above all about attracting more people to the driving profession and helping existing drivers. According to him, many are reluctant to travel long distances.
The two companies initially agreed to a three-month pilot program. If the current tests are successful, they could sign a multi-year deal that would affect several Ikea stores and warehouses.
For its part, Ikea continues to introduce technology into its production chain. In June, the company launched a new AI-powered app that allows furniture to be scanned with a laser and then replicated in 3D.
Source: BFM TV
