Kodiak AI will begin piloting autonomous log-hauling operations in Alberta later this year, marking the company’s first international deployment and its entry into the forestry sector.
The company said trucks equipped with its AI-powered Kodiak Driver autonomous system will haul timber from forest sites to a West Fraser processing facility in Western Canada. The pilot will help determine whether the technology is suitable for longer-term commercial deployment in driverless operations.
The project pairs Kodiak with West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd., which operates across Canada, the U.S., and Europe and is described as the world’s largest manufacturer of wood building materials.
Logging routes in Alberta often involve remote resource roads and difficult terrain, creating operating challenges that differ significantly from highway freight operations.
“Innovation that improves safety and sustainability has long been central to how West Fraser operates,” said Mark Cookson, woods operations manager at West Fraser. “This pilot gives us the opportunity to test autonomous technology that can help address driver shortages and enhance safety by reducing human exposure to the risks of remote, rough-terrain resource roads.”
Kodiak said its autonomous system was designed to operate in harsh industrial environments and can withstand dust, vibration, and extreme weather conditions common in oilfield and forestry applications.
The company launched its first commercial driverless operations in the Permian Basin in West Texas in December 2024 and said it had scaled to 20 driverless trucks by the end of 2025.
“We built the Kodiak Driver to be the most versatile autonomous system on the market, capable of handling everything from interstate highways to the toughest industrial environments, from arid West Texas to the forests of Western Canada,” said Don Burnette. “By bringing the benefits of autonomous trucking to the wood products industry, we are demonstrating that our technology can thrive in even the most demanding settings.”
The collaboration between Kodiak and West Fraser was facilitated by FPInnovations, a forest-sector research and development organization supported by governments and more than 50 forestry companies.
“This is an important step towards making autonomous transportation in Canada’s forests a reality,” said Christoph Schilling, program manager, transportation, at FPInnovations. “Deploying these technologies strategically, safely, with real operational purpose and in close collaboration with industry, technology providers, and regulators will be crucial for its adoption.”
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