Kodiak signs first binding deal for driverless highway trucks, 75 units to DTL Transport
The contract is Kodiak's first binding agreement for autonomous big rigs on public roads, and it moves the company toward per-mile licensing.
Kodiak AI has signed a contract to supply 75 driverless trucks to DTL Transport, a mid-market carrier, with deliveries beginning in 2028. It is the first binding commercial agreement Kodiak has made for autonomous big rigs on public highways, and it lands just before the company plans to remove human safety operators from its cabs for a driverless service between Dallas and Houston in December. The deal also moves Kodiak closer to a licensing model in which customers run the trucks and pay per mile. Kodiak did not disclose the contract value, but its investor forecast of roughly $150,000 to $190,000 in annual recurring revenue per truck would imply at least about $11.2 million a year once all 75 units are in service, though that estimate rests on assumptions about per-mile fees and mileage.
Why it matters
For the first time a customer has committed in writing to buying driverless highway trucks from Kodiak, with deliveries set to start in 2028. The deal fits a model in which customers run the trucks and pay per mile rather than buying the vehicles outright, which would place much of the revenue in ongoing fees instead of one-off sales. The timing matters because Kodiak plans to remove human safety operators from its cabs for a driverless service between Dallas and Houston in December. Whether the fees add up as the company projects depends on per-mile pricing and mileage, which the company has not disclosed.
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