SHERIDAN, WYOMING – Feb. 4, 2025 – Atlas Energy Solutions Inc. has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in autonomous trucking, completing the delivery of 100 loads of proppant using two RoboTrucks – semi-trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver self-driving system from Kodiak Robotics. This accomplishment marks the first instance of a customer owning and operating RoboTrucks for commercial semi-trucking.
Driverless Operations Take Center Stage
The initial driverless operations, previously announced in July 2024, involved Kodiak delivering Atlas’s frac sand along a 21-mile off-road route within West Texas’s Permian Basin utilizing Kodiak-owned autonomous trucks. Now, with Kodiak providing the self-driving technology for Atlas's own RoboTrucks, Atlas is independently conducting driverless deliveries across the expansive 75,000-square mile Permian Basin in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. This achievement positions Kodiak as the industry leader in launching commercial driverless trucking operations.
Kodiak's Vision of Autonomous Trucking Realized
“This is an incredible moment, for us and for the autonomous trucking industry as we have officially delivered a commercial RoboTruck to a customer and launched commercial operations,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO, Kodiak. “The commercialization of autonomous trucks has been a goal for the industry for many years, and it has now come to fruition. Kodiak is the first company to make autonomous trucking a real business, and this is a major step toward profitability for our company.”
Scaling Driverless Operations in the Permian Basin
Atlas plans to significantly scale its RoboTruck deployment throughout 2025, with multiple deployments anticipated. To support Atlas’s growing operations in the Permian Basin, Kodiak has established an 18,000ft2 office in Odessa, Texas. The facility currently houses 12 Kodiak employees and expects to expand to approximately 20 by the end of Q1 2025.
Enhancing Safety and Reliability through Automation
“Incorporating these driverless RoboTrucks into our operations is a significant advancement in the automation of our business, enhancing our ability to maintain a fundamentally safe and reliable service at the best price for our customers,” said John Turner, CEO, Atlas. “Becoming the first company to operate our own autonomous semi-trucks and reaching 100 successful autonomous proppant deliveries demonstrates our unique commitment to driving innovation and automation across the Permian Basin’s rugged terrain, dust and heat.”
Rigorous Safety Testing and Deployment
Prior to launching driverless operations with Atlas, Kodiak successfully completed a comprehensive safety case, evaluating the safety and readiness of its self-driving system within Atlas’s operational domain. The delivery of the world’s first customer-owned driverless RoboTrucks for industrial operations took place in December 2024, with driverless service commencing on December 18, 2024. This achievement marks the first stage of Kodiak’s commercialization roadmap. Kodiak's next step involves extending its safety case to highways for its long-haul customers.
Kodiak's Sixth-Generation Platform and SensorPods
The Kodiak Driver-equipped RoboTrucks utilize Kodiak’s sixth-generation platform, incorporating all the necessary redundant components for driverless operation. This includes Kodiak’s proprietary SensorPods, pre-calibrated modular units containing all the sensors required for autonomous driving, facilitating rapid and easy repairs. This innovative technology underscores Kodiak's commitment to advancing the future of autonomous trucking.