Even though Ford recently decided to pivot its focus away from Level 4 and 5 autonomy to Level 2 and 3 for the time being, the automaker hasn’t given up on the idea that one day, fully self-driving vehicles will be the norm rather than some pie-in-the-sky dream. In fact, FoMoCo recently formed Latitude AI as its new autonomous vehicle-focused entity, and in recent years, Ford Authority has spotted both a Ford F-150 and F-150 Raptor wearing A/V hardware while testing. Now, a company called Kodiak has debuted its very first autonomous military prototype vehicle, which just so happens to be a Ford F-150, too.
Officially known as the Kodiak Driver, this autonomous Ford F-150 is, as one might imagine, designed to participate in high-risk situations without service members on board, which eliminates the risk they would otherwise face in combat. Along with with Kodiak’s own autonomous system, the Driver is also equipped with all of the hardware and software required to operate a military ground vehicle, and can reportedly handle a wide variety of surfaces on- and off-road.
Kodiak developed this special Ford F-150 prototype in just six months thanks to its modular and vehicle-agnostic autonomous system, and it runs the same software as the company’s autonomous long-haul trucks. The Driver is equipped with Kodiak’s DefensePods as well, which can be swapped out in the field in 10 minutes or less, with no specialized training required to do so. Kodiak is already testing the Driver and will deliver two initial units to the Department of Defense, after which the company plans to put its autonomous system into a purpose-built ground reconnaissance vehicle specifically for military use.
“Kodiak’s new autonomous vehicle shows the maturity and portability of our autonomous system, which we call the Kodiak Driver,” said Don Burnette, Founder and CEO, Kodiak. “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. 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. We are proud to support the military, and look forward to the day that Kodiak Driver-powered vehicles can provide the U.S. military with more mission options and technical superiority, all while keeping our servicemen and women out of harm’s way.”
We’ll have more on the F-150 soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, and ongoing Ford news coverage.
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