Kodiak AI Inc. (NASDAQ: KDK) completed autonomous trucking demonstrations in Ohio and Indiana, marking the company's first operational deployment outside the southern United States. The program was conducted in partnership with DriveOhio, Ohio's hub for connected and autonomous vehicle testing.

The demonstrations took place on Interstate 70 and included stakeholders from both states. Kodiak showcased Level 4 autonomous trucking capabilities at the Transportation Research Center track in East Liberty, Ohio, where scenarios included navigating construction zones, merging onto highways, passing slower vehicles, and responding to pedestrian crossings.

The company also hosted demonstrations for first responders at the Indiana Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center in Indianapolis. The program involved collaboration with the Ohio Department of Transportation and Indiana Department of Transportation.

"Our work with DriveOhio marks an important step toward scaling autonomous trucking nationwide," said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak. "This program highlights not only the maturity of our technology, but also its ability to operate safely and effectively beyond the sunbelt, in new environments that are critical to the U.S. supply chain."

The demonstrations represent an expansion of Kodiak's operational design domain beyond Texas and the southern United States into the Midwest. The program brought together transportation officials, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to experience autonomous trucking technology.

Kodiak was founded in 2018 and develops AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology for trucking applications. The company states it achieved a milestone in 2024 by becoming what it claims was the first company to deploy customer-owned and operated driverless trucks in commercial service.