Kodiak Self-Driving Tech Matches Humans In Nauto Safety Study

Autonomous Trucking Technology Matches Human Drivers in Safety Evaluation

A recent study by fleet safety tech company Nauto Inc. has revealed that commercial trucks using autonomous technology developed by Kodiak AI Inc., known as the Kodiak Driver, performed on par with human drivers in terms of safety. The evaluation, which used Nauto’s Visually Enhanced Risk Assessment score (VERA), showed that Kodiak Driver scored 98 out of 100, tying with the average score of over 1,000 fleets with human drivers.

The VERA score is based on a scale of 1 to 100 and takes into account over 20 driving variables detected through vision-based AI. The results are categorized into four main areas: inattentive driving, high-risk driving, traffic violations, and aggressive driving. Notably, Kodiak Driver scored a perfect 100 in all categories except aggressive driving, where it scored 95.

Understanding the VERA Score and Its Implications

According to Nauto CEO Stefan Heck, the VERA score provides a comprehensive assessment of a driver’s safety performance. Heck explained that the score is calculated on a per-trip basis and takes into account various factors such as road conditions, driver actions, and vehicle performance. The fact that Kodiak Driver was able to match the performance of human drivers is a significant milestone in the development of autonomous trucking technology.

Kodiak founder and CEO Don Burnette emphasized that the study’s findings validate the company’s belief in the safety and efficacy of its autonomous driving system. Burnette noted that the Kodiak Driver is designed to be a defensive driving system, always following the rules of the road and driving courteously. The system’s ability to perform on par with human drivers is a testament to its potential to improve road safety and reduce the risk of accidents.

The Future of Autonomous Trucking

The study’s findings come at a time when the trucking industry is experiencing a decline in crashes involving commercial trucks. According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were 104,885 crashes with 2,612 fatalities in the United States through the third quarter of 2025, down from 124,271 crashes with 3,580 fatalities over the same period in 2024.

The Nauto system, which is being used by over 1,000 commercial fleets globally, has been shown to reduce risk among drivers by 80% and eliminate about two-thirds of all collisions. The combination of the Kodiak Driver and Nauto’s system has the potential to further improve road safety and reduce the risk of accidents. As the trucking industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how autonomous trucking technology develops and becomes more widespread.

For now, the study’s findings provide a positive indication of the potential benefits of autonomous trucking technology. With its ability to perform on par with human drivers, the Kodiak Driver has demonstrated that it can be a safe and reliable option for the trucking industry. As the technology continues to develop, it will be exciting to see how it can be used to improve road safety and reduce the risk of accidents.