HUNT
VALLEY, Md. and MOUNTAIN VIEW,
Calif., Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Textron
Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, a leading
developer of crewed and uncrewed military ground vehicles, and
Kodiak Robotics, Inc., a leading self-driving technology developer
for the trucking and defense markets, announced today that they
have integrated the Kodiak Driver, Kodiak's self-driving system,
into Textron's Systems' RIPSAW® M3 vehicle. The
RIPSAW M3 vehicle, equipped with the Kodiak Driver, is a rugged and
reliable uncrewed robotic ground vehicle designed to keep service
members out of harm's way while meeting the mission of today's
military. With this vehicle, Textron Systems and Kodiak intend to
jointly explore future opportunities with both the U.S. Department
of Defense and the militaries of allied nations as they look to
accelerate automation into military ground vehicles.
Integrating the Kodiak Driver into Textron Systems' RIPSAW M3
vehicle demonstrates the unique versatility and reliability of
Kodiak's autonomous system, and the value that dual-use technology
can bring to defense markets. The Kodiak Driver-equipped RIPSAW M3
vehicle is the first autonomous tracked vehicle on which Kodiak has
collaborated, and the first Kodiak Driver-equipped vehicle without
room for a human.
"The RIPSAW M3 equipped with the Kodiak Driver is a
transformative solution for military ground operations," said
Textron Systems' David Phillips,
Senior Vice President, Land, Air and Sea Systems. "Our
collaboration will not only enhance the U.S. military's ability to
execute complex and high-risk missions, but also provides a
critical tool for keeping personnel out of harm's way. This
collaboration will help redefine, and perhaps accelerate, the
future of uncrewed military ground vehicles, offering unparalleled
capabilities and mission-readiness."
The RIPSAW M3 vehicle equipped with the Kodiak Driver-
represents a unique collaboration between a leader in military
ground vehicles and a dual-use artificial intelligence technology
developer. The vehicle combines Kodiak's industry-leading autonomy
system with Textron Systems' rugged and reliable tracked vehicle
platform. The Kodiak Driver-equipped RIPSAW M3 vehicle is capable
of successfully executing a wide range of high-risk military
missions, such as reconnaissance, surveillance, and tactical
maneuvers, across a wide range of terrain types, from highways to
dirt roads to fully cross-country.
Through this collaboration, Kodiak strategically integrated its
modular DefensePods into each corner of the RIPSAW M3 vehicle,
ensuring 360-degree visibility while maintaining a low profile.
DefensePods are an adapted version of Kodiak's modular, swappable
SensorPods, designed for military use. DefensePods are
pre-calibrated, pre-built hardware enclosures that include the
sensors necessary for autonomous driving. DefensePods can be easily
swappable in the field in 10 minutes or less, using standard tools
and with minimal training. This design ensures that the Kodiak
Driver-equipped RIPSAW M3 remains operational even in the most
challenging environments.
As military ground missions are dynamic, Kodiak's approach to
autonomy–which leverages an advanced perception system to identify
what is around the vehicle, recognize drivable surfaces, and then
navigate the vehicle as a human would–unlocks full off-road
autonomy. The Kodiak Driver-equipped RIPSAW M3 also contains
Kodiak's unique Assisted Autonomy technology, which combines
autonomy with human-in-the-loop path planning. Assisted Autonomy
combines the best aspects of remote autonomy assistance and remote
driving, allowing soldiers to seamlessly control a vehicle remotely
when necessary, reducing the risk that vehicles become disabled in
novel environments. When operated in Assisted Autonomy, the
autonomy system combines human-driven planning with the Kodiak
Driver's safety controls, ensuring safe operations while enabling
human intervention for mission-critical tasks.
"Kodiak is building the world's most capable and flexible
autonomous system," said Kodiak's Don
Burnette, Founder and CEO. "No other autonomous system can
drive everywhere, from on-highway to off-road, providing unique
value to customers across the defense, trucking, and industrial
industries. By collaborating with Textron Systems, we can offer
unparalleled support to the warfighter at the speed of
relevance."
The same technology stack that drives the Kodiak Driver-equipped
RIPSAW M3 vehicle has delivered freight without a human driver in
West Texas's Permian Basin, and
has driven over 3.5 million miles while delivering over 6,000 loads
for some of the trucking industry's biggest names.
Textron Systems has over three decades of experience in uncrewed
land, air and sea systems. With proven expertise in design,
integration, production and aftermarket support through multiple
military programs of record, Textron Systems builds on a mature,
proven history in supporting the DoD and our allies.
About Kodiak Robotics, Inc.
Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was
founded in 2018 and has become the trusted world leader in
autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more
efficient future for all. The company is developing an
industry-leading artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology
stack purpose-built for driverless military and long-haul trucking
applications. Kodiak's unique modular hardware approach integrates
sensors into a streamlined sensor-pod structure that optimizes for
perception, scalability, and maintainability. The company delivers
freight daily for its customers across the South, using its
autonomous technology. Kodiak also leverages its commercial
self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous
capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. Learn more about
Kodiak on the web at kodiak.ai, and on LinkedIn
and Twitter. You can find the company press kit HERE.
About Textron Systems
Textron Systems is a world
leader in uncrewed air, surface and land products, services and
support founded on the combined expertise in our family of brands
that includes Textron Systems, Howe & Howe, Lycoming, and ATAC.
We harness the unlimited power of teamwork to solve incredible
problems across seven specialized domains: air, land, sea,
propulsion, weapon systems, electronic systems and test, training
& simulation. From product development and manufacturing to
training, operations and support, we integrate and offer ingenious
and advanced solutions to support defense, aerospace, and other
customer missions. For more information, visit
www.textronsystems.com.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry
company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense,
industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with
innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the
world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft,
Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and
Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking
statements which may project revenues or describe strategies,
goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements
speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake
no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
These statements are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the
efficacy of research and development investments to develop new
products or unanticipated expenses or delays in connection with the
launching of significant new products or programs; our ability to
keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products
and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our
customers; and risks related to U.S. Government contracts as
described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
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SOURCE Kodiak Robotics