Gatik
Gatik autonomous box truck · USA · Founded2017
Gatik was founded in 2017 by brothers Gautam Narang and Arjun Narang, who identified a significant gap in the autonomous vehicle market. While most companies targeted either long-haul trucking or passenger ride-hailing, Gatik focused specifically on the "middle mile," the segment of the supply chain between distribution centers and retail stores. This targeted approach allows Gatik to operate on fixed, repeatable routes with well-understood conditions, simplifying the autonomous driving challenge.
Key Metrics
About Gatik
The company operates a fleet of autonomous box trucks (medium-duty Class 3 through Class 6 vehicles) that shuttle goods between warehouses and retail locations. Gatik's vehicles run on predetermined routes, typically covering distances of 50 to 200 miles, making multiple runs per day. This hub-to-hub model differs from long-haul trucking and is optimized for the high-frequency, short-to-medium-distance deliveries that retailers depend on to keep store shelves stocked.
Gatik's most prominent partnership is with Walmart. In 2021, Gatik became the first company to operate fully driverless (no safety driver) middle-mile delivery trucks on public roads, completing autonomous deliveries for Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas. The partnership has since expanded to multiple markets, with Gatik handling a growing volume of Walmart's store-replenishment deliveries autonomously. The company also works with other major retailers and logistics providers.
Based in Mountain View, California, Gatik has raised significant venture capital and continues to expand its operational footprint. The company's focused approach to the middle mile has attracted attention because the route regularity and predictability of the task make it more tractable than general autonomous driving. Retail supply chains represent a massive market opportunity, and Gatik aims to become the standard autonomous delivery solution for the middle-mile logistics segment.
Founders: Gautam Narang, Arjun Narang
Headquarters: Mountain View, California
Latest Update
Expanded driverless middle-mile delivery operations with Walmart across multiple US markets.
Key Milestone
Operating fully driverless middle-mile delivery for Walmart and other retailers
Vehicles and Products
Frequently Asked Questions
What is middle-mile delivery?
Middle-mile delivery refers to the transportation of goods between distribution centers, warehouses, and retail stores. It is distinct from long-haul trucking (hundreds of miles between cities) and last-mile delivery (from a store or hub to the end customer). Middle-mile routes are typically fixed, repeatable, and between 50 and 200 miles, making them well-suited to autonomous driving.
Which retailers does Gatik work with?
Gatik's most prominent partner is Walmart, for which it operates fully driverless middle-mile deliveries between warehouses and retail stores. The company also works with other major retailers and logistics companies. Gatik became the first to remove the safety driver from commercial middle-mile deliveries for Walmart in 2021.
How is Gatik different from Aurora or TuSimple?
While Aurora and the former TuSimple focused on long-haul highway trucking across hundreds of miles, Gatik focuses exclusively on the middle mile, covering shorter, fixed routes between supply chain nodes. Gatik uses medium-duty box trucks rather than Class 8 semi-trucks, and its routes are repetitive and well-mapped, which simplifies the autonomous driving task.
Sources
- Gatik Official Website - accessed 2026-03-28
- Gatik Walmart Partnership Announcement - accessed 2026-03-28
- Walmart Autonomous Delivery Pilot with Gatik - accessed 2026-03-28