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. PepsiCo has worked with Gatik since 2022 and currently operates a fleet of 41 autonomous trucks in Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas, Gatik confirmed in an email to Supply Chain Dive.
  • "Autonomous trucks, especially on short-haul, repeatable routes, have the potential to support more consistent operations and reduce variability - helping us deliver a more reliable service experience," PepsiCo said in an email.

Deep Dive

Deploying autonomous trucks is one of the deliberate steps PepsiCo is taking to modernize product flow across its transportation network, PepsiCo said.

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

"Deploying driverless trucks in a supply chain as complex as PepsiCo's is, as you can imagine, a meticulous and carefully coordinated process," Gatik said. "Our top priority is safety, so we have taken the necessary time to complete 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 reroute as needed within 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 removing stops, responding to demand changes, and adapting to activity levels at distribution centers," the press release stated. This flexibility enables PepsiCo to improve on-time delivery performance and increase capacity without changing 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, along with Maersk and DB Schenker, announced plans to pilot a heavy-duty electric truck corridor expected to beoperational in 2027. PepsiCo has alsojoined shippers such as 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。