Gatik has carved out a specific niche in the competitive realm of autonomous vehicle tech: short-haul fixed-route deliveries for the retail industry. The strategy paid off in November 2021, when Gatik announced it had removed safety drivers in its box trucks moving orders between a Walmart warehouse and grocery store in Bentonville, Arkansas, two years into the companies’ partnership. This could be the future of middle-mile logistics across North America—automated trucks driving predictable routes, keeping supply chains intact despite persistent labor shortages. With a spotless safety record, Gatik is now expanding and has set up delivery operations in Louisiana, Texas, and Ontario after receiving local authorities’ stamps of approval.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Global Climate Solutions Exist. It's Time to Deploy Them
- What Happens to Diane Feinstein's Senate Seat
- Who The Golden Bachelor Leaves Out
- Rooftop Solar Power Has a Dark Side
- How Sara Reardon Became the 'Vagina Whisperer'
- Is It Flu, COVID-19, or RSV? Navigating At-Home Tests
- Kerry Washington: The Story of My Abortion
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time