Kodiak Robotics, an autonomous truck manufacturer, has received an undisclosed amount of funds from the tire-making company Bridgestone Americas for a minority stake of the company. Bridgestone Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Nizar Trigui has also joined Kodiak's board of directors as an observer.

The two companies also announced a strategic partnership to integrate and pilot Bridgestone’s smart-sensing tire technologies and fleet solutions in Kodiak's autonomous trucks. During the pilot, Kodiak will monitor and collect data on pressure, temperature, and wheel loads, sharing the information with Bridgestone for future improvements.

Kodiak Robotics develops Level-4 autonomous trucks (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles limited to specific locations and/or conditions) for long-haul transportation. In August 2019, the company began commercial deliveries on Texas highways with its fleet of eight class 8 autonomous trucks. In January of this year, the company reported completing more than 800 miles of highway driving in Texas without any disengagements (without interventions from safety drivers). The company plans to introduce trucks without a safety driver by 2023.