Tyson Foods, a processor and marketer of various food products, and Gatik AI, a provider of autonomous middle-mile logistics, entered a multi-year collaboration to deploy autonomous refrigerated box trucks to bolster Tyson routes in Northwest Arkansas. Operating 18 hours a day, trucks will deliver Tyson, Jimmy Dean, and BallPark products, among others, to the company’s distribution and storage facilities in the Rogers and Springdale, Arkansas areas.
Read more: Kodiak's autonomous electric truck a preview of trucking's future“This partnership allows us to strategically place our drivers where they are needed most while still reliably and safely transporting protein from the plant to distribution centers,” said Patrick Simmons, vice president of transportation for Tyson Foods.
The deployment will utilize multiple Gatik trucks, with the potential for future expansion at other Tyson locations, operating on predetermined short-haul, repeated routes from plant to storage facilities. The autonomous trucks are equipped with a 26’ temperature-controlled box and multiple sensor modalities for fail-safe, short-haul B2B operations. A safety driver will initially be present in the cab to monitor the autonomous system and take command of operating the truck if required.
The partnership is expected to provide Tyson Foods with increased asset utilization within its short-haul logistics network, assist with inventory objectives, and support a transition to a more responsive, high-frequency approach to goods movement. Additionally, autonomous trucks operate with increased efficiency and sustainability, leading to reduced emissions and enhanced fuel economy.
