We’ve all seen the scary-looking robots from Boston Dynamics that have been developed with military applications in mind. Well, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) isn’t just interested in robot soldiers, but robot vehicles, too. It’s just taken delivery of a Ford F-150 truck modified with autonomous technology by Kodiak Dynamics.
The ethos behind the self-driving F-150 is the same one guiding the development of the two- and four-legged robots: to use automation to avoid placing humans in dangerous situations. The modded Ford pickup can drive by itself and can also be operated remotely should its military minders feel the need to intervene. And unlike civilian self-driving machines like Cruise’s autonomous Chevy Bolts, it’s designed not for smooth city roads, but the rocky, dusty, muddy terrain found in your typical warzone.
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Kodiak spent six months installing its Kodiak Driver hardware into the pickup and setting it up ready for a handover to the DoD. Though the basic system is the same program fitted to Kodiak’s autonomous long-haul trucks, the F-150 is equipped with military-specific, swappable SensorPods, each pod featuring software designed for defense applications.
Interestingly, Kodiak says that adapting the system to handle off-road work actually benefits the company’s on-road semis, which can now deal with minor off-highway situations – though probably not full-scale military assaults on Iran.
“We have built a comprehensive autonomous system that can be integrated into any vehicle, from a Class 8 truck, to a pickup, to a next-generation defense vehicle,” explains Kodiak’s CEO and founder, Don Burnette.
“Integrating Kodiak’s technology into an off-road capable vehicle shows the potential for commercial and dual-use technology to revolutionize national security, just as the Department of Defense is looking to ramp up its focus on autonomous technology.”
Last December Kodiak announced it had won a contract worth $50 million to deliver two autonomous F-150s to the DoD. The department will spend the next 12 months testing the trucks before deciding whether to award Kodiak or one of its rivals a much larger contract to develop autonomous vehicles for America’s military forces.
