Driverless semitrucks are rapidly advancing, raising important questions about safety, reliability, and the future landscape of the trucking industry. A recent safety evaluation has put these autonomous systems in the spotlight, particularly highlighting Kodiak AI’s autonomous trucking system, the Kodiak Driver. According to a new assessment by Nauto, Inc., the Kodiak Driver achieved a top-tier safety score, matching the best human-operated commercial fleets. This milestone not only challenges long-held assumptions about the risks of autonomous freight transport but also sparks broader discussions about the evolving role of automation on America’s highways.
Nauto, a company specializing in AI-powered fleet safety technology, developed the Visually Enhanced Risk Assessment (VERA) Score, a comprehensive rating system that quantifies fleet safety on a scale from 1 to 100. This system incorporates over 20 vision-based AI variables to assess various driving behaviors and risks, providing a clear, data-driven snapshot of how safely a fleet operates. In this latest evaluation, the Kodiak Driver earned a remarkable score of 98—an achievement that places it among the safest fleets worldwide within Nauto’s extensive network of more than 1,000 commercial fleets managed by human drivers.
To put this in perspective, fleets equipped with Nauto’s safety technology average a VERA Score of 78, whereas those without it average just 63. The Kodiak Driver’s near-perfect score signifies a substantial leap in safety performance, especially when considering that every 10-point increase in VERA Score corresponds to an estimated 21% reduction in collision risk. The system scored perfectly in critical areas such as inattentive driving, high-risk driving, and traffic violations, with its only slightly lower score of 95 attributed to aggressive driving. These results demonstrate that autonomous technology can not only match but potentially surpass human drivers in critical safety metrics.
Kodiak AI’s founder and CEO, Don Burnette, expressed pride in the achievement, emphasizing that “safety first and always” is a core value driving the company’s innovation. Burnette noted that independent safety evaluations like Nauto’s validate what Kodiak has long believed—that their autonomous system is among the safest drivers on U.S. roads. He also highlighted the role such evaluations play in building public trust and awareness around autonomous trucking technology.
The Kodiak Driver’s success is underpinned by advanced monitoring and hazard detection systems that continuously analyze both the driving environment and vehicle behavior in real time. Unlike human drivers, the system is immune to distractions, fatigue, and impaired judgment caused by substances or emotions. Burnette succinctly described the system’s reliability: it “is never drowsy, never drunk, and always paying attention.” This constant vigilance allows the autonomous truck to drive defensively and predictably, key factors linked to safer road performance.
Nauto’s VERA Score offers fleets a standardized way to measure and improve safety proactively rather than reacting after crashes occur. This shift towards prevention is already reflected in national trends. According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the number of commercial truck crashes in the U.S. dropped from over 124,000 in 2024 to approximately 104,000 in 2025, signaling a safer highway environment. Technologies like Kodiak’s, which combine AI vision with real-time data, are contributing to this positive trajectory by reducing risky driving behaviors and enhancing overall on-road performance.
Despite these promising developments, not all stakeholders in the trucking industry are ready to fully embrace autonomous technology. Some experts caution that while the Kodiak Driver performs remarkably well in controlled evaluations, the unpredictable nature of real-world driving — including adverse weather, erratic human drivers, and mechanical failures — still presents significant challenges for AI systems. These complexities require ongoing testing, refinement, and cautious deployment.
Another major concern centers on the potential impact of automation on employment. Professional truck drivers worry about job security as AI increasingly takes over driving tasks. Questions about wages, labor conditions, and workforce transitions remain pressing issues that the industry and policymakers must address. Additionally, safety advocates call for clearer regulatory frameworks and greater transparency to ensure that autonomous trucking technology is introduced responsibly and with public confidence.
Supporters of autonomous trucking agree that progress hinges on continued oversight and gradual rollout. Building trust in autonomous systems will take time, and rigorous evaluation will be essential to demonstrate that these technologies can safely coexist with human drivers on complex roadways.
For those working in logistics, fleet management, and transportation technology, the Kodiak Driver’s near-perfect safety score is