Autonomous trucking startup Gatik to deploy 50 rigs in Canada

Autonomous trucking startup Gatik AI Inc. plans to operate 50 self-driving freight trucks in Canada by the end of next year, pushing toward driverless shipping with plans to remove the safety driver within months of deployment on public roads.

Privately-held Gatik plans to start with 20 trucks on the road by the end of this year and 30 more next year as part of a deal with Canadian supermarket chain Loblaw Cos., the startup said in a statement.

Gatik will operate the vehicles on dedicated routes to deliver goods to Loblaw locations in the greater Toronto area. The Mountain View, Calif.- based company said the deal will bring in $50 million in revenue.

The plan would be the largest deployment of self-driving trucks in North America, according to Gatik, a sign that autonomous freight transport is starting to gain traction. The company runs shorter routes for dedicated customers and plans to expand with other shippers over time.

Initially, a human driver will be in the trucks to support data collection and mapping before the trucks go driverless. The company is also running trucks for Kroger Co. and Tyson Foods in the US.