Ikea partnered with Kodiak Robotics, a company that works with autonomous driving generation for long-haul trucks, to control deliveries without motor power from its warehouses. Since August of this year, a rugged, autonomous Kodiak truck has been delivering furniture every day from an Ikea distribution center near Houston to a retail store near Dallas. While the truck has a backup motive power behind the wheel that is guilty of picking up the loaded trailer and overseeing delivery, the truck autonomously drives its 300-mile one-way trip on long stretches of road.
With this partnership, Ikea hopes to better understand how autonomous deliveries can make long-distance travel safer and can lead to better operating conditions for truck drivers. While Kodiak’s trucks are electric, it’s worth noting that an earlier UC San Diego study (PDF) employing another company’s cars shows that autonomous trucks are about 10% more effective than their classic counterparts. According to Forbes, the two companies agreed to a three-month pilot program, but if all goes well, they may just do it. point to a multi-year deal that would deal with a number of Ikea outlets and warehouses.
The Swedish home furnishings logo has also embraced other types of technological advancements in recent months. In June, it unveiled a new AI-powered app that can scan LIDAR portions to create 3D replicas that you can design with furniture from Ikea. It also made EV owners feel more comfortable signing an agreement to install Electrify America’s fast chargers at more than 25 of its retail outlets in the United States.