Kodiak Robotics Inc., a maker of autonomous trucking systems, has demonstrated its SensorPod — a piece of hardware that simplifies truck maintenance and truck utilization.
SensorPod includes one Hesai lidar, two ZF full-range 4D radars and three cameras. The SensorPod can be easily removed and replaced at any mechanic without specialized training. This will eliminate the need for specialized engineers to work on autonomous trucks and accelerate getting autonomous trucks back on the road.
Kodiak Robotics has formed a partnership with Southern Tire Mart to demonstrate that its pre-calibrated, pre-built SensorPods can replace the truck’s stock side-view mirrors and they can be completely removed and replaced by Southern Tire Mart mechanics.
Why it is important
Autonomous truck sensor systems frequently need servicing and maintenance. They also require significant time and specialized training. This complicates repairs since long-haul trucks can travel thousands of miles per trip and may need service in remote locations.
The deployment of the SensorPods allows the hardware to be easily serviceable and maintainable to create an easier maintenance and utilization of these autonomous trucking systems.
"Every aspect of the technologies we build into our autonomous trucks is thoughtfully designed with fleet uptime, serviceability and scalability in mind," said Don Burnette, founder and CEO at Kodiak. "We know the value Kodiak is bringing to fleets by designing SensorPods that can be easily and quickly replaced by any mechanic as simply as they can change a tire.”
Kodiak said it will continue to work with Southern Tire Mart to build experience in autonomous truck maintenance. Southern Tire Mart plans to develop new business models and revenue streams centered on autonomous trucking and how better to perform maintenance on these vehicles moving forward.
