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Fit For the Future: The Kodiak AI Partnership

Kodiak AI partnered with Roush to upfit their autonomous trucking technology into real-world, scaled production. By combining Kodiak’s AI-powered Kodiak Driver with Roush’s expertise in systems integration and contract manufacturing, the collaboration established the first scalable production line for autonomous trucks—one that is expected to take Kodiak from dozens of trucks on the road to thousands.

What was the challenge?

Kodiak endeavored to scale autonomous trucking without sacrificing quality or road-ready safety. Upfitting complex autonomous systems into heavy-duty trucks required a production approach beyond traditional manufacturing and assembly.

In our industry, Roush is known as the preeminent upfitter for autonomous technology.

– Mike Pierce, Director of Hardware Engineering, Kodiak

Roush was the perfect partner for the project. Each vehicle required Kodiak’s modular, vehicle-agnostic hardware — including proprietary SensorPods, AI compute, Actuation Control Engine safety compute, and redundant actuation elements — to be integrated and validated. The goal was clear: create a repeatable, scalable manufacturing process capable of supporting real customer deployment.

What did we accomplish?

Contract Manufacturing Efficiency

Roush launched the first dedicated production line for Kodiak’s autonomous trucking solution in July 2025. The Contract Manufacturing team developed a flexible process that supports rapid scaling while maintaining consistent quality as Kodiak increases production volume.

Repeatable Systems Integration

Roush’s Vehicle Engineering and Contract Manufacturing teams created a repeatable integration process for the Kodiak Driver’s modular architecture. Tools reading directly into the MES system enable real-time validation and approval of autonomous systems during the build — right from the manufacturing floor.

Vehicle Configuration Assembly

The manufacturing line supports multiple cab types, axle configurations, and heavy-duty applications. This flexible approach allows Kodiak to customize vehicles for customer needs without slowing production or compromising quality.

Road Testing and Validation

The Testing team guarantees road readiness before trucks leave the line, thanks to advanced testing equipment that verifies system, component, and full vehicle performance. This level of testing scrutiny has empowered Kodiak to log thousands of driverless miles, and each vehicle is validated to meet customer and regulatory requirements before delivery.

20 trucks
Delivered by end of 2025

What services were provided?

Kodiak needed a partner capable of handling every element of complex autonomous vehicle production under one roof. Roush made it happen with cross-functional collaboration from the Contract Manufacturing and Testing teams. This approach helped Kodiak team members maintain a clear understanding of project progress, from system integration through final validation and production.

Together we’re working to build a robust and repeatable manufacturing process that supports Kodiak’s transition from limited production to full-scale deployment.

– Brad Rzetelny, VP Contract Manufacturing, Roush

What is the impact?

The Roush–Kodiak partnership marks a major turning point in the revolutionary future of driverless vehicles. The upfitting of Kodiak’s trucks proves that autonomous technology has finally moved from the conceptual to real-world, scalable production.

For Kodiak, the collaboration accelerates deployment, supports customization, and enables rapid growth as the company expands driverless operations and prepares for its next phase as a public company. For Roush, the project reinforces its position as a trusted partner for advanced mobility and a leader in bringing complex technologies to market.

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