Autonomous Trucks
Kodiak Robotics, a young American self-driving truck company, is exploring a joint venture with the holding firm of South Korean conglomerate SK Group to gain a foothold in the Asian market. The company, formed three years ago by Don Burnette, a former Waymo engineer who is also the co-founder of self-driving truck company Otto, aims to produce trucks that can drive without drivers in 2023. Kodiak Robotics has already announced a partnership with SK Holdings to help bring Kodiak Driver, the company’s autonomous driving technology, to Asia-Pacific markets such as Korea and China. The issue of creating a joint venture, according to SK Holdings, is in the early stages of discussion. SK Holdings, Korea’s third-largest conglomerate, whose business interests range from microchips and batteries to telecommunications services, said it is exploring investment opportunities in auto companies.