Episode 361 | De-Risking Autonomy with Optionality

Don Burnette, Founder & CEO, Kodiak joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss taking Kodiak public and why the company's strategy has always been about de-risking autonomy with optionality. 

As part of their de-risking strategy, Kodiak has deployed an asset-light business model where partners including Atlas Energy Solutions own and operate the trucks, allowing Kodiak to focus on the AI software.

During the episode, Grayson and Don discuss the strategic importance of Kodiak’s partnership with Bosch to develop a redundant, OEM-agnostic platform that unlocks scale across multiple OEMs. With their partnerships and business model intact, Kodiak is preparing to launch driver-out commercial over-the-road operations in the second half of the year, setting the stage for a broader expansion into physical AI.

Episode Chapters

0:00 Taking Kodiak Public

3:36 Asset-Light Autonomous Trucking Business 

12:10 Unstructured Driving 

14:31 Kodiak's Platform Agnostic Strategy 

21:45 Bosch Partnership 

27:47 Preparing for Driver-Out Over-The-Road Operations 

34:10 Over-The-Road Business Model

25:38 Future of Kodiak

Recorded on Monday, January 12, 2026

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