Don Burnette

Don Burnette, CEO of Kodiak Robotics, discusses the potential of autonomous trucking to triple asset utilization, leading to increased revenues. The episode explores Kodiak's approach to proprietary data, safety, and redundancy in advancing autonomous trucking technology. Topics include the evolution of Don's career, real-time perception, strategic partnerships, and the readiness of autonomous trucking for deployment.

Don Burnette, Founder and CEO of Kodiak, shares insights on the company’s journey toward autonomy and its recent public offering. He reveals Kodiak's innovative asset-light model, where partners like Atlas operate trucks, allowing a focus on AI development. They discuss strategic partnerships, notably with Bosch, to create a redundant, OEM-agnostic platform. Don emphasizes the importance of long-term vision in technology validation and highlights plans for upcoming driverless operations. He foresees a future of Kodiak as a leader in physical AI, expanding beyond trucking.

Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics and a veteran of the Google Self-Driving Car program, shares insights on the evolving world of autonomous trucking. He discusses Kodiak's sixth-generation truck and a partnership with Atlas Energy Solutions that enhances off-road capabilities. Burnette also delves into the challenges the industry faces, including consolidation and investor expectations. The conversation touches on the integration of dual-use technologies and the importance of robust machine learning systems in achieving reliability and advancement in autonomous operations.