Gatik
Pioneering Autonomous Middle-Mile Logistics Technology
Company Overview
Gatik AI Inc. is an autonomous vehicle technology company specializing in middle-mile logistics—the critical transportation segment between distribution centers and retail locations. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, Gatik became the first company in the United States to operate fully autonomous commercial trucks on public roads without safety drivers in January 2026.
Company Information
- Founded: 2017
- Headquarters: Mountain View, California
- Founders: Gautam Narang, Arjun Narang
- CEO: Gautam Narang
- Employees: ~200 (2026)
- Valuation: $700M (Series C, 2025)
Industry Focus
- Sector: Autonomous Vehicles, Logistics
- Specialization: Middle-Mile Delivery
- Technology: Level 4 Autonomous Driving
- Vehicle Type: Class 3-6 Box Trucks
- Business Model: B2B Logistics-as-a-Service
Unlike companies pursuing fully autonomous passenger vehicles or long-haul trucking, Gatik's strategic focus on short, repetitive routes between known locations has proven more immediately viable commercially and regulatorily. The company operates autonomous box trucks for major retailers including Walmart and Kroger, completing thousands of deliveries monthly without human drivers.
Company History
2017: Foundation
Gatik was founded by brothers Gautam Narang and Arjun Narang, both veterans of Ford Motor Company's autonomous vehicle division. Recognizing that full autonomous capability across all driving scenarios remained decades away, the Narangs identified middle-mile logistics as an ideal constrained domain where autonomous technology could deliver immediate commercial value.
The company's name derives from the Hindi word for "movement" or "motion," reflecting its focus on freight transportation rather than passenger mobility.
2019: First Commercial Partnership
Gatik announced its first major commercial partnership with Walmart, launching autonomous delivery operations between a Walmart distribution center and retail stores in Bentonville, Arkansas. The initial deployment used safety drivers monitoring autonomous systems on a fixed 2-mile route.
This partnership validated Gatik's business model and provided critical real-world data to refine its autonomous driving stack. The Bentonville route became the company's testing ground for driverless operations.
2021: Series Funding & Expansion
Gatik raised $85 million in Series B funding led by Koch Industries, with participation from existing investors including Walmart and Innovation Endeavors. The capital funded expansion to Texas (partnership with Kroger), Louisiana, and Canada (Toronto operations with Loblaw Companies).
By year-end 2021, Gatik was operating on six fixed routes across four locations, completing over 30,000 commercial deliveries with safety drivers aboard all vehicles.
2022: Technology Milestones
Gatik achieved several technical milestones including successful navigation of construction zones, adverse weather operations (heavy rain, fog), and complex urban intersections. The company's vehicles demonstrated the ability to handle emergency vehicle interactions and unexpected road closures autonomously.
The company also launched its proprietary fleet management platform, enabling remote monitoring and coordination of multiple autonomous vehicles simultaneously.
2023-2024: Regulatory Push
Gatik began formal engagement with state transportation departments in Arkansas and Texas to secure permits for fully driverless operations. The company submitted extensive safety documentation including 500,000+ miles of autonomous driving data, third-party safety audits, and emergency response protocols.
In late 2024, Gatik raised $125 million in Series C funding at a $700 million valuation, with new investors including Goodyear Ventures and Ryder System, Inc. The funding supported fleet expansion and regulatory compliance efforts.
2026: Driverless Approval
On January 27, 2026, Gatik received regulatory approval from Arkansas and Texas authorities to operate fully autonomous commercial trucks without safety drivers on designated routes. This historic milestone made Gatik the first company in the United States to achieve commercial driverless trucking operations.
The approval covers Class 6 box trucks (26,000 lbs GVWR) operating on fixed routes with speeds up to 65 mph, marking a breakthrough for autonomous vehicle commercialization.
Technology & Approach
Autonomous Driving Stack
Gatik's autonomous system is purpose-built for middle-mile logistics rather than adapted from passenger vehicle technology. The company's approach emphasizes reliability and safety over flexibility, with vehicles operating exclusively on pre-mapped, geofenced routes.
Sensor Suite
- LiDAR: Four Velodyne Alpha Prime units providing 360-degree point cloud coverage at 300-meter range
- Cameras: 12 high-resolution cameras for object detection, classification, and traffic signal recognition
- Radar: Long-range and short-range radar arrays for velocity measurement and redundant object detection
- IMU & GPS: Inertial measurement units and RTK-GPS for centimeter-level localization
- V2X Communication: Vehicle-to-everything connectivity for infrastructure interaction
Software Architecture
Gatik's software stack includes proprietary perception, prediction, and planning algorithms optimized for commercial vehicle dynamics. Key differentiators include:
- HD Mapping: Centimeter-accurate maps updated continuously via fleet learning
- Behavior Prediction: Machine learning models trained on millions of miles of commercial driving data
- Path Planning: Optimization algorithms balancing safety, efficiency, and comfort
- Redundancy: Multiple independent systems for critical functions (steering, braking, perception)
- Remote Assistance: Teleoperation capabilities for edge-case scenarios
Geofenced Operating Domain
Unlike competitors pursuing "autonomous everywhere" approaches, Gatik vehicles operate only on routes they have extensively mapped and validated. This constrained operational design domain (ODD) enables:
- Higher reliability and safety through predictability
- Faster regulatory approval with clearly defined boundaries
- More efficient validation and testing processes
- Immediate commercial viability without waiting for full Level 5 autonomy
Business Model & Market Strategy
Middle-Mile Focus
Gatik's business centers on "middle-mile" logistics—the transportation segment between large distribution centers and local fulfillment centers or retail stores. This 5-50 mile segment represents a $50 billion annual market in the U.S. characterized by:
Market Characteristics
- • Repetitive, predictable routes
- • High frequency (multiple trips daily)
- • Consistent cargo types
- • Fixed pickup/delivery locations
- • Lower complexity than long-haul or last-mile
Competitive Advantages
- • Easier regulatory approval vs. urban robotaxis
- • Simpler technical requirements vs. highway trucking
- • Immediate labor shortage solution
- • Scalable to new routes/customers
- • Clear ROI calculations for customers
Revenue Model
Gatik operates on a logistics-as-a-service (LaaS) model, charging customers per delivery or per mile for autonomous transportation services. The company owns and operates the autonomous vehicles, maintaining full control over:
- Vehicle acquisition and maintenance
- Autonomous system development and updates
- Remote monitoring infrastructure
- Insurance and regulatory compliance
- Route planning and optimization
This vertically integrated approach enables Gatik to capture the full value of autonomous operations while providing customers with predictable, per-trip pricing that undercuts traditional driver-based delivery by 30-40%.
Major Partnerships
Walmart
Partnership Since: 2019
Gatik's flagship partnership involves autonomous deliveries between Walmart's distribution centers and Supercenter locations in Bentonville, Arkansas. The route expanded to a 12-mile loop in 2023, with plans for additional routes in Louisiana and Texas.
Walmart Strategic Investments participated in Gatik's Series B and Series C funding rounds, demonstrating the retailer's confidence in autonomous middle-mile logistics.
Kroger
Partnership Since: 2021
Gatik operates autonomous deliveries for America's largest supermarket chain between distribution hubs and stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The partnership focuses on refrigerated and frozen goods requiring temperature-controlled transportation.
This partnership demonstrated Gatik's ability to handle more complex cargo requirements beyond dry goods.
Georgia-Pacific
Partnership Since: 2022
Koch Industries subsidiary Georgia-Pacific (manufacturer of paper products including Brawny and Quilted Northern) partnered with Gatik for autonomous transportation between manufacturing facilities and distribution centers in Louisiana.
This B2B manufacturing partnership expanded Gatik's addressable market beyond retail logistics.
Loblaw Companies (Canada)
Partnership Since: 2021
Canada's largest food retailer partnered with Gatik for autonomous deliveries in Toronto, marking Gatik's first international expansion. Operations include both grocery and pharmacy deliveries on fixed urban routes.
Canadian operations face different regulatory frameworks but have progressed similarly to U.S. deployments.
Competitive Landscape
Gatik operates in the autonomous trucking sector but occupies a unique niche focused on middle-mile rather than long-haul transportation. Key competitors and adjacent players include:
Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ: AUR)
Focus: Long-haul Class 8 trucking
Developing autonomous technology for highway tractor-trailers. Partnerships with FedEx and Uber Freight. Still operating with safety drivers; commercial driverless operations targeted for 2027.
Waymo Via (Alphabet)
Focus: Long-haul autonomous trucking
Alphabet's freight division operates pilot programs in Arizona and Texas. Massive R&D budget but still in testing phase with safety operators. No clear path to driverless commercialization announced.
Kodiak Robotics
Focus: Long-haul trucking + defense contracts
Autonomous trucking startup with U.S. Department of Defense partnerships. Operates test fleets in Texas and Georgia with safety drivers. Targeting 2027 for commercial driverless operations.
Einride (Sweden)
Focus: Electric autonomous freight
Swedish company combining electric and autonomous technology for short-haul freight. Operating in Europe with some U.S. pilots. Focuses on private roads and controlled environments.
Traditional Logistics Providers
Competition: Human-driven middle-mile services
Companies like Ryder, Penske, and regional carriers provide traditional middle-mile logistics. Gatik competes on cost (30-40% savings), reliability, and driver shortage solutions.
Competitive Differentiation
Gatik's strategic focus on middle-mile logistics rather than long-haul trucking provides significant advantages: simpler technical requirements, faster regulatory approval, immediate commercial viability, and a large addressable market underserved by competitors focused on highway automation.
Leadership Team
Gautam Narang
Co-Founder & CEO
Prior to founding Gatik, Gautam served as Director of Product for Autonomous Vehicles at Ford Motor Company, where he led development of Ford's self-driving delivery vehicle program. He holds a Master's degree in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University and has published extensively on autonomous vehicle safety validation.
Arjun Narang
Co-Founder & CTO
Arjun previously worked as Principal Engineer at Ford's Autonomous Vehicle division, specializing in perception systems and sensor fusion. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Vision from the University of Michigan and has filed over 20 patents related to autonomous driving technology.
Richard Steiner
VP of Commercialization
Former executive at UPS and FedEx with 25+ years in logistics operations. Richard leads Gatik's customer partnerships and route expansion strategy, bringing deep industry relationships and supply chain expertise to the autonomous logistics business.
Funding & Investors
Gatik has raised over $200 million across multiple funding rounds:
Series C (2025) — $125 Million
Valuation: $700 million
Lead Investors: Koch Industries, Walmart Strategic Investments
New Investors: Goodyear Ventures, Ryder System Inc., Woven Capital (Toyota)
Series B (2021) — $85 Million
Valuation: $400 million
Lead Investor: Koch Industries
Participants: Walmart, Innovation Endeavors, Dynamo Ventures
Series A (2019) — $25 Million
Lead Investor: Innovation Endeavors (Eric Schmidt's VC firm)
Participants: Walmart Strategic Investments, Intact Ventures
The presence of strategic investors including Walmart (customer), Koch Industries (customer parent company), Goodyear (tire supplier), and Ryder (logistics incumbent) demonstrates industry validation of Gatik's business model and technology.
Future Outlook & Expansion Plans
Following its historic achievement as the first company to operate fully driverless commercial trucks in the U.S., Gatik has outlined aggressive expansion plans:
2026-2027 Roadmap
- Scale to 50 driverless trucks across Arkansas and Texas by Q3 2026
- Seek driverless approval in Georgia and Arizona by Q4 2026
- Expand Canadian operations with driverless permits in Ontario
- Add 3-5 new Fortune 500 retail and logistics customers
- Launch pilot programs for pharmaceutical cold-chain logistics
- Explore expansion into e-commerce fulfillment partnerships
Strategic Priorities
Gatik's leadership has emphasized that the company will maintain its focus on middle-mile logistics rather than expanding into long-haul or last-mile segments. This disciplined approach prioritizes:
- Operational excellence and safety record maintenance
- Route density in existing markets before geographic expansion
- Partnership deepening with current customers
- Regulatory relationship building in new states
Industry analysts expect Gatik to pursue an IPO in 2027-2028 once the company demonstrates consistent profitability across multiple markets. Morgan Stanley estimates the middle-mile autonomous logistics market could exceed $100 billion annually by 2035, with Gatik positioned as the early category leader.
Read More
For the latest news on Gatik's driverless trucking achievement, see our article: Gatik Becomes First U.S. Firm Running Driverless Trucks Commercially.