• Gatik, an autonomous truck developer for middle-mile delivery, has partnered with ecommerce logistics company Pitney Bowes for an autonomous truck test pilot to transport goods between the latter’s distribution centers in Dallas, Texas, starting in 2023.

• The trucks will be deployed in five of Gatik’s existing routes in Dallas-Fort Worth. Initially, the trucks will operate with a safety driver on board to take control if needed, with plans to commence fully driverless operations within a few months after launching.

<ul><li> Analyst QuickTake: Today’s news adds Pitney Bowes to Gatik’s growing list of partners to deploy its autonomous trucking technology. Gatik so far has partnered with companies including retail giant Walmart and pulp and paper company Georgia Pacific for deliveries in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. It also partnered with the Canadian food retailer Loblaw for a pilot in Toronto, Canada. Furthermore, Texas has always been a popular destination for autonomous trucking companies, given its location, availability of academic and research institutions, and the Texan government’s encouragement. Other autonomous trucking companies with operations in Texas include Waymo, Daimler, Aurora Innovation, TuSimple, Embark Trucks, and Kodiak Robotics. </ul>