Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced that it completed a cross-state transportation mission with an unmanned truck following a manned tractor. The military weapons manufacturer, headquartered in San Diego, California, stated that this platooning method is another viable way to advance the application of autonomous driving technology in the commercial sector.

To demonstrate its technical solution, Kratos partnered with NASCAR event logistics provider Champion Tire & Wheel to execute a round-trip cross-state route from June 12 to June 26, with an estimated total mileage of about 6,000 miles. A Kratos spokesperson confirmed this information to Trucking Dive via email.

The mission aimed to prove that Kratos' military systems, including autonomous vehicles, are also suitable for long-haul logistics operations. Maynard Factor, Kratos' Vice President of Business Development, stated in a June 17 press release that completing the cross-state transport demonstrated "scalable execution capabilities."

"Our autonomous follower truck successfully completed a cross-state logistics transport, proving that platooning technology can safely improve efficiency, expand freight capacity, and help alleviate the ongoing driver shortage," Factor said.

This is the second time Kratos has used platooning to transport racing equipment. Last year, the company completed a one-way 200-mile transport mission from the Columbus, Ohio area to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

When transporting supplies for NASCAR events, Kratos' manned tractor was followed by an autonomous truck equipped with a safety driver, carrying equipment used by the team competing in the Anduril 250 event held on June 21 at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego. The entire convoy route started from Kratos' facility in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, passed through Champion's site in Cornelius, North Carolina, and finally arrived in San Diego, after which the truck was expected to return to Florida on June 26.

A Kratos spokesperson said the trucks drove an average of about 10 hours per day, with stops at designated locations for refueling, inspections, and rest.

Kratos' system uses a manned truck and an autonomous truck electronically connected, with the latter following the former. During platooning, the driver in the lead vehicle controls the speed and direction of the autonomous truck.

Kratos stated that its platooning solution enables a single driver to support multiple vehicles simultaneously, providing a path to improve efficiency and expand the application of autonomous driving technology in commercial transportation and defense logistics.

In the field where Kratos operates, several companies are also actively promoting the commercial deployment of autonomous trucking technology.

Volvo Autonomous Solutions, which uses Aurora Innovation technology, is expected to remove safety drivers and achieve full driverless operation on U.S. highways in the first quarter of 2027. Einride, which became a publicly traded company earlier this month, is working to scale up its autonomous driving technology.

Kodiak AI also plans to launch long-haul driverless trucks this year, after having begun commercializing autonomous operations on private roads in the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico.

Meanwhile, Aurora Innovation is also deploying its technology through other carrier partners, including Hirschbach Motor Lines. The refrigerated transport company expanded its partnership with Aurora and is expected to have 500 trucks operated by the technology company's technology.