PepsiCo Launches Largest U.S. Commercial Deployment of Autonomous Trucks

PepsiCo is partnering with autonomous logistics company Gatik to deploy driverless trucks for middle-mile deliveries between distribution centers and retail locations. Fixed-route freight is seen as an early commercial use case for autonomous driving technology, with the potential to improve on-time performance, reduce insurance and operating costs, and reshape the labor structure of the U.S. trucking industry.

The latest plan calls for 41 driverless trucks to be deployed in Texas, Arizona and other locations, in what the companies say will be the largest U.S. commercial deployment of its kind. PepsiCo and Gatik have not disclosed the investment amount or an exact launch date. Truck drivers' unions, concerned about job losses and road safety risks, are stepping up lobbying of state legislatures for regulatory safeguards.