PepsiCo is expanding its use of autonomous trucks through a new multi-year partnership with autonomous freight technology company Gatik, a move the companies describe as the largest commercial deployment of driverless freight transportation to date.

The agreement builds on an existing relationship that began in 2022 and will see Gatik continue operating driverless trucks within PepsiCo’s regional distribution networks across Texas, Arizona and Arkansas.

The companies say the deployment will help strengthen PepsiCo’s supply chain by improving delivery consistency, adding transportation capacity, and supporting customer service across its North American food and beverage operations.

“Serving our vast network of customers requires a supply chain that is safe, reliable, and built for the future,” said Jim Farrell, senior vice president of supply chain at PepsiCo. “Gatik is already operating inside our networks and brings the autonomous freight technology, commercial experience, and scale we need to strengthen service, add capacity, and move products more consistently for our customers.”

The partnership focuses on regional freight movements between facilities, a segment of the supply chain characterized by frequent, time-sensitive deliveries. Gatik’s autonomous trucks are designed to handle both highway and surface street operations and can adapt routes based on changing demand and distribution center activity.

According to the companies, the technology allows PepsiCo to add or remove stops and adjust delivery plans without major operational changes, helping improve on-time performance while increasing network flexibility.

“Autonomous trucking has reached commercial scale when it operates inside one of the most demanding supply chains on the planet,” said Gautam Narang, co-founder and CEO of Gatik. “That is what Gatik is doing with PepsiCo. Our autonomous trucks are already moving products every day across Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas, and this partnership is proof that Gatik is becoming central to how the world’s largest companies move goods.”

Gatik says it currently achieves more than 98% on-time delivery performance across its operations. The company specializes in middle-mile freight transportation, moving goods between manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and retail locations.