AKRON, Ohio and PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Goodyear
(NASDAQ: GT) and Gatik today announced a multi-year collaboration
with a goal to advance the development of mobility solutions for
the autonomous B2B short-haul logistics industry. The collaboration
will contribute to safer, more sustainable goods movement while
reducing costs for Gatik's customers in the B2B short-haul market
nationwide.
Gatik has established the first autonomous middle mile logistics
network in North America and is
rapidly expanding its fleet of Class 3-6 autonomous box trucks for
customers in multiple markets, including Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Ontario. Goodyear, a leader in connected
mobility, is one of the world's largest tire companies with over
120 years' experience in developing state-of-the-art products and
services that set technology and performance standards for the
industry. This national collaboration expands service levels and
capacity for both organizations across the
U.S.
Under the collaboration, Goodyear's venture capital fund,
Goodyear Ventures, participated in Gatik's recently announced
Series B funding and the companies will work on multiple innovative
projects. Gatik's medium-duty fleet will use tires equipped with
tire intelligence technology powered by Goodyear SightLine, a suite
of tire intelligence solutions, building upon Goodyear's existing
connected tire management products in an effort to improve stopping
distances in autonomous commercial vehicles and monitor tire
pressure in real time for enhanced safety and reduced wear. As
Gatik commercializes its operations at scale, the use of tire
intelligence solutions is expected to help reduce fuel and
maintenance costs while increasing operational efficiencies for
retailers, e-commerce companies and distributors employing Gatik's
autonomous solution.
"By leveraging our advanced tire intelligence solutions,
Goodyear can help improve vehicle performance and safety in
autonomous transportation," said Chris
Helsel, Goodyear's senior vice president, global operations
and chief technology officer. "Together, Goodyear and Gatik will
combine our innovative technologies to help bring more efficiency
in the increasingly important middle mile segment."
"The benefits of Goodyear's tire intelligence technology are
grounded in enhancing safety, increasing efficiency and reducing
costs – principles which are absolutely fundamental to Gatik's
mission and success," said Arjun
Narang, CTO and co-founder, Gatik. "This collaboration will
enable us to further increase the value we offer our customers
across the continent and help define new standards in safety and
sustainability for the B2B short-haul sector."
"Gatik's mission to deliver goods safely and efficiently using
autonomous vehicles aligns with our investment strategy, making
them a great addition to our portfolio, which already includes key
autonomous delivery players in the long-haul and last-mile delivery
markets," said Abhijit Ganguly,
managing director, Goodyear Ventures. "We believe this investment
is a strong strategic fit for Goodyear as we seek to learn more
about the implications of autonomous technologies in middle mile
delivery and logistics."
About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It
employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 55
facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation
Centers in Akron, Ohio, and
Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to
develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the
technology and performance standard for the industry. For more
information about Goodyear and its products, go to
www.goodyear.com/corporate.
About Gatik
Gatik, the leader in autonomous Middle Mile logistics, delivers
goods safely and efficiently using its fleet of light and medium
duty trucks. The company focuses on short-haul, B2B logistics for
Fortune 500 retailers such as Walmart and Loblaw. Gatik's Class 3-6
Autonomous Box Trucks are live for customers in multiple markets
including Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Ontario. Founded in 2017 by veterans of the
autonomous technology industry, the company has offices in
Palo Alto and Toronto. Gatik was recognized on the 2021
Forbes AI 50 list and as a World Economic Forum Technology
Pioneer.
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SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company