Kodiak Robotics has integrated NXP’s automotive processors and in-vehicle networking interfaces. | Source: Kodiak Robotics
Kodiak Robotics Inc. today said it is integrating NXP Semiconductors’ automotive processors and in-vehicle networking interfaces into its autonomous driving system. The company said the processors will enhance the performance, robustness, and reliability of its system.
“Safety is the foundation of everything we do at Kodiak, and a responsibility we have taken seriously since Day 1,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics. “Driverless trucks require powerful and reliable safety-critical computing platforms which meet our rigorous safety standards. By incorporating NXP’s automotive solutions into the Kodiak Driver, we are positioned to incorporate the highest classification of automotive safety into our autonomous system more efficiently and at scale.”
Founded in 2018, Kodiak said it has developed technology to address critical challenges in the transportation industry. These include driver shortages, demands for shorter delivery timelines, and rising costs. The company claimed that its single-platform automated driving system, the Kodiak Driver, combines advanced artificial intelligence software with modular hardware.
In April, Kodiak announced that it would go public via a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. It agreed to be acquired by Ares Acquisition Corporation II, or AACT, an affiliate of Ares Management Corp.
According to the announcement, Kodiak Robotics’ pre-money equity totaled $2.5 billion. The combined company will have access to approximately $551 million of cash held in AACT’s trust account at closing. Kodiak said it expects the merger to close in the second half of 2025.
NXP to enhance Kodiak Driver safety and compliance
NXP’s automotive systems include the S32G3 vehicle network processor, the S32K3 microcontroller, the VR5510 multi-channel high-voltage power management integrated circuit (PMIC), and the PF53 regulator. Kodiak is integrating these into the Kodiak Actuation Control Engine (ACE), its custom-designed computer that manages vehicle actuation independently from the main autonomy system.
Kodiak said it designed ACE to allow the Kodiak Driver to run a safe fallback maneuver and bring a vehicle to a controlled stop. ACE can do this if any safety-critical component of either the Kodiak Driver or the underlying vehicle platform fails, it said.
NXP’s systems enable critical functions such as vehicle performance monitoring, according to Kodiak. Ten times each second, the Kodiak Driver evaluates the performance of more than 1,000 safety-critical processes and components in both the self-driving stack and the underlying truck platform. The company‘s systems also power critical safety functions such as on-vehicle power management.
The addition of NXP’s automotive systems will improve the Kodiak Driver’s reliability and robustness, the companies claimed. The systems do this by supporting the Driver’s self-diagnostic capabilities, allowing Kodiak to improve vehicle uptime.
In addition, Kodiak asserted that NXP’s broad range of vehicle interfaces offers a flexible and cost-effective way to adapt the Kodiak Driver to additional vehicle platforms.
NXP said it designed its computing and in-vehicle network processors to support the real-time performance, subsystem integration, and functional safety requirements of Kodiak’s self-driving system. The company’s processors deliver deterministic, real-time performance, which Kodiak said is critical for improvements to its precise control over steering, braking, throttle, and power management.
NXP’s systems are compliant with the highest ISO 26262 automotive safety integrity level, or ASIL-D. Compliance with ASIL-D corresponds to a rate of fewer than 10 failures in 1 billion hours of operation.
How is Kodiak integrating NXP’s technology?
Kodiak has integrated NXP’s systems into the computer architecture that powers the Kodiak Driver, including:
- S32G3 vehicle network processor: This high-performance and high-reliability processor enables safe actuation of vehicle controls, including redundant braking, steering, and throttle.
- S32K3 microcontrollers for automotive applications: Kodiak uses these chips in the ACE as safety co-processors and to enable power distribution, battery charging, and safety HMI interfaces.
- VR5510 multi-channel high-voltage PMIC: The PMIC provides high-performance power generation, including functional safety mechanisms to monitor output voltages.
- PF53 ASIL D core supply regulator: This delivers power performance to unlock the full potential of the S32G3 core.
“Autonomous driving systems demand a level of safety and reliability that leaves no room for compromise,” said Robert Moran, general manager and vice president of automotive processors at NXP. “Our ISO 26262-compliant S32 compute solutions are designed to support that level of rigor, delivering the real-time performance and functional integrity needed to help companies like Kodiak bring advanced autonomous capabilities to market with confidence.”
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