Isuzu Motors, based in Yokohama, Japan, and Gatik AI, headquartered in California, the United States, have agreed to further develop the North American autonomous driving sector. Isuzu will invest $30 million in Gatik, forming a strong partnership aimed at advancing mobility services based on Level 4 autonomous driving.
The agreement between Isuzu and Gatik focuses on developing middle mile autonomous driving, including the design and development of a new redundant chassis that ensures safety when equipped with an autonomous driving system.
As part of its mid-term business plan, “ISUZU Transformation – Growth to 2030 (IX),” announced in April 2024, Isuzu committed to three new business pillars for the future: autonomous driving solutions, connected services, and carbon-neutral solutions. Partnering with Gatik, Isuzu aims to launch a Level 4 autonomous commercial vehicle business by 2027.
According to Gatik, it is the only company offering autonomous middle mile logistics services in North America, using Class 3-7 autonomous driving trucks for safe and efficient goods delivery. The company focuses on middle mile B2B logistics for large firms and successfully completed fully driverless commercial middle mile deliveries in 2021. Gatik’s Class 3-7 autonomous driving trucks are currently operational in Texas, Arkansas, and Ontario.
Through this partnership, Isuzu will enter the middle mile autonomous driving business in the LCF segment. This advanced technology will enable Isuzu to address industry challenges such as the worsening driver shortage and rapidly increasing delivery demands in North America. Additionally, the companies will jointly design and develop a new chassis with safety performance compatible with autonomous driving systems, aiming for mass production in 2027.
Gautam Narang, CEO and Co-Founder of Gatik, said: “In 2021, Gatik launched the world’s first fully driverless commercial transportation service with a Fortune 500 retailer, and we are thrilled to be once again achieving an industry-first milestone by working with our partner Isuzu towards mass production of SAE Level 4 autonomous trucks. This partnership, coupled with Isuzu’s investment in Gatik, signals the company’s confidence in our technology and our world-class team, and we’re excited to bring autonomous transportation to the market at significant scale in the coming years.”
“As part of our April 2024 mid-term business plan announcement, we are committed to establishing three pillars of new business for the future: autonomous driving solutions, connected services, and carbon neutral solutions. As part of our efforts to develop autonomous driving solutions, we’re delighted to be expanding our relationship with Gatik to be operation ready in 2027,” commented Hiroshi Sato, Executive Officer of Isuzu.
Through this collaboration, Isuzu and Gatik are committed to leading innovation in middle mile autonomous driving in North America, providing new value in transportation for the betterment of society.
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