Gatik and Walmart Launch Driverless Deliveries in Arkansas

Gatik Achieves Driverless Operations with Walmart

Gatik, an autonomous vehicle technology company, has announced a significant advancement in its collaboration with Walmart, marking a key moment for the autonomous trucking industry.

The company revealed on Monday the removal of safety drivers from two of its self-driving box trucks operating in Bentonville, Arkansas – Walmart’s headquarters location.

A First for the Industry

This development signifies the first instance of a commercial route being served by fully driverless box trucks, as stated by Gatik’s CEO and co-founder, Gautam Narang.

Gatik distinguishes itself from many other autonomous vehicle companies through its focused strategy.

Focus on B2B Logistics

Rather than targeting individual consumers, Gatik concentrates on utilizing its autonomous trucks for the transportation of groceries and retail goods between distribution centers and stores.

Since emerging from stealth mode in 2019, Gatik has been providing logistical support to Walmart in both Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as to Loblaw Companies Limited in Ontario, Canada.

Expansion and Fleet Size

The company recently broadened its operational footprint into Texas, following a successful Series B funding round that secured $85 million.

Gatik currently maintains a fleet of 25 self-driving trucks deployed across Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, California, and Canada.

Details of the Driverless Route

Initial driverless operations commenced in August, as previously reported by TechCrunch.

Walmart and Gatik have now disclosed further specifics regarding these operations.

Five self-driving trucks are currently active in Arkansas, dedicated to Walmart deliveries.

Two of these vehicles are now operating without a driver, running seven days a week on a 7.1-mile route connecting a Walmart fulfillment center to a neighborhood market.

Safety Measures Remain

Despite the driverless status, Gatik maintains several safety protocols.

• An employee remains in the passenger seat.
• A support vehicle accompanies the truck.
• Operations are limited to favorable weather conditions.

Prior to the launch of driverless operations, the self-driving system underwent a thorough evaluation by an independent third-party company, according to Narang.

Future Scaling Plans

Narang communicated to TechCrunch that the company’s objective is to rapidly expand fully driverless operations to its other locations.

“It took us approximately 24 months from our initial commercial deployment to reach a level of safety allowing driver removal,” he explained.

“The time required to achieve fully driverless operation will decrease moving forward, accelerating deployment in new markets and along new routes.”