News Summary

  • PepsiCo plans to deploy more Gatik autonomous trucks in its North American supply chain under a multi-year agreement, according to apress release。
  • from the food and beverage company. Pepsi has worked with Gatik since 2022 and currently operates 41 autonomous trucks in Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas, a figure Gatik confirmed in an email to Supply Chain Dive.
  • "Autonomous trucks, especially on short-haul, repeatable routes, have the potential to support more stable operations and reduce variability, helping us deliver a more reliable service experience," Pepsi said in an email.

Deep Dive

PepsiCo said deploying autonomous trucks is part of its deliberate effort to modernize its transportation network, aiming to optimize how products move through its logistics network.

The agreement between Pepsi and Gatik focuses on adding capacity on demand, such as in high-demand regional networks, "which are often difficult to staff and critical to keeping shelves stocked," the press release stated.

"It's easy to imagine that deploying driverless trucks in a supply chain as complex as PepsiCo's is a meticulous and carefully coordinated process," Gatik said. "Our first principle is safety, so we have taken the necessary time to conduct extensive safety assessments and integrate into PepsiCo's supply chain in a reliable and safe manner."

Gatik's driverless trucks can be used for end-to-end deliveries on highways and surface roads. According to the press release, they can also change routes as needed in complex regional logistics networks and reach hundreds of pickup and delivery locations.

"This allows PepsiCo to adjust route plans based on daily operational needs, including adding or reducing stops, responding to demand changes, and adapting to activity levels at various distribution centers," the press release said. This flexibility enables Pepsi to improve on-time delivery performance and increase capacity without changing its existing operations.

PepsiCo has been testing new fleet technologies to optimize its transportation operations. In addition to autonomous trucks, the company is also advancing the electrification of its fleet.

In 2024, the consumer goods manufacturer, together with Maersk and DB Schenker, announced plans to pilot a heavy-duty electric truck corridor, which is expected to beoperational in 2027. Pepsi alsojoined shippers like IKEA and Microsoftin testing electric trucks on the I-10 corridor in the U.S. between Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas.

Last year, the company said its electric semi-trucks would bring$1 million in fuel savings。