Bridgestone Invests in Kodiak Robotics Autonomous Long-Haul Trucking Technology Company

- Bridgestone makes minority investment in Kodiak Robotics.

- Kodiak Robotics develops and deploys long-haul shipping trucks with level 4 autonomy.

- Bridgestone will integrate its smart-sensing tire technologies into Kodiak's autonomous trucks; the companies will also pilot future mobility technologies to enable safer, more sustainable autonomous operations.

News provided by

Bridgestone Americas, Inc.

Jun 16, 2021, 06:40 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) today announced it has made a minority investment in Kodiak Robotics, a leading U.S.-based self-driving trucking company. The partnership will allow Bridgestone to integrate its smart-sensing tire technologies and fleet solutions into Kodiak's level 4 autonomous trucks. The companies will also pilot future autonomous and smart tire technologies to further enhance vehicle intelligence and advance toward a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable mobility future.

"Automated vehicles offer a number of benefits to commercial fleet customers and society, including safer roads with fewer unexpected incidents, and upwards of 20 percent savings in fuel and efficiency," said Paolo Ferrari, Global Chief Solutions Officer, Bridgestone Corporation, and President & CEO, Bridgestone Americas. "Advancements in tire-centric technologies are critical to unlocking greater innovation in mobility, while also delivering significant sustainability benefits. This investment will enable Bridgestone and Kodiak to work together to co-develop advanced mobility solutions with speed and precision that will revolutionize commercial trucking."

Kodiak moves freight autonomously for its customers using its fleet of level 4 self-driving long-haul trucks in the state of Texas with a safety driver on board. With plans to deploy driverless trucks in the next few years, full vehicle intelligence is a major key to unlocking safe, efficient and sustainable autonomy for Kodiak and its customers. Bridgestone's suite of cloud-based technologies leverage connected vehicle data to help predict tire health and maintenance, as well as optimize tire lifespan. Additionally, Bridgestone's vehicle platform technologies provide tire intelligence to vehicle safety and autonomous systems to tune their performance and drive safer outcomes. Together, Kodiak and Bridgestone will be able to link vehicle-based and smart-sensing tire technologies to improve vehicle safety, fleet efficiency, and the next generation of autonomous trucking solutions.

"After an extensive diligence process, Bridgestone has chosen Kodiak as an autonomous trucking partner," said Don Burnette, Co-founder and CEO, Kodiak Robotics. "Bridgestone's investment is a huge moment for Kodiak and a great validation of our industry-leading autonomous system. As part of our partnership, we are pleased to welcome Bridgestone's Chief Technology Officer and Group President, Solutions Businesses, Nizar Trigui, to our Board of Directors as an observer. Kodiak and Bridgestone will work together to advance self-driving trucking technology, from tires and sensors to predictive maintenance."

About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Nashville, Tennessee-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. Bridgestone Americas develops, manufactures and markets a diverse portfolio of original equipment and replacement tires, tire-centric solutions, mobility solutions, and other rubber-associated and diversified products that deliver social value and customer value. Guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving the way people move, live, work and play.

About Kodiak Robotics:
Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 to develop autonomous technology that carries freight forward—so people, partners, and the planet thrive. Kodiak is building and operating self-driving trucks designed to operate on highway routes, making the freight industry safer and more efficient. Kodiak has developed the industry's most advanced technology stack purpose-built specifically for long-haul trucks. Kodiak delivers freight daily for its customers between Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, operating autonomously on the highway portion of the route. In January 2021, Kodiak became the first company in the autonomous trucking industry to announce disengage-free customer deliveries, and released footage of over 1000 miles of disengage-free driving. Learn more about Kodiak on the web at kodiak.ai, and on Medium, LinkedIn and Twitter. You can find the company press kit HERE.