With this collaboration, Ikea hopes to gain a better understanding of how autonomous deliveries can make long-distance trips safer and potentially lead to better working conditions for truck drivers. While Kodiak’s trucks are not electric, a previous study by UC San Diego (PDF) using another company’s vehicles found that autonomous trucks are around 10% more efficient than their traditional counterparts. According to Forbes, the two companies agreed to a three-month pilot program, but if everything goes well, they may sign a multi-year agreement that would cover a number of Ikea stores and warehouses.
