Kratos Platoons Power Champion Tire Logistics At NASCAR Brickyard 400
Two tractor-trailers, outfitted with premium Goodyear commercial truck tires, have traveled along the I-70 corridor between Ohio and Indiana in an automated platoon configuration, with one human-driven lead truck paired to an automated follower. Equipped with advanced Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications, onboard sensors, and automated control systems, the automated follower truck maintains coordinated speed, braking, and steering with the lead truck. Originally developed for defense applications, Kratos' dual-use technologies demonstrate a unique approach to fleet logistics using automation to address challenges facing commercial logistics, agriculture, energy, and mining sectors vital to national security.
'Deploying automation in a fast-moving, time-critical logistics environment like NASCAR gave us a unique opportunity to show how seamlessly Kratos' technology fits into real-world operations,' said Maynard Factor, VP of Business Development at Kratos. 'Even outside of core industries, we demonstrated that commercial fleets can adopt Kratos' autonomous systems without overhauling their workflows or disrupting day-to-day business, proving how practical and scalable this technology is.'
Champion Tire & Wheel, a longtime innovator in motorsports logistics, became the first to use automated platooning to deliver equipment to a global racing event. Operating within the NASCAR supply chain, the company says this deployment underscores how automation can strengthen business continuity and drive efficiency across commercial logistics environments.
Champion's innovative tracking systems, inspection technology, and logistics operations help ensure teams receive race-ready equipment wherever the schedule takes them.
'This technology provides us options to better manage spikes in the schedule where distance and timing are a challenge,' said Kevin Mahl, President & CEO of Champion Tire & Wheel. 'By pairing a human-driven lead truck with an autonomous follower, we can keep the fleet moving efficiently to the next race venue. With Kratos autonomous systems as a tool to use when needed, we're able to move more equipment, more efficiently, and give ourselves more flexibility in our logistics planning.'
That's not all. Goodyear joined the collaboration to demonstrate how advanced tire and vehicle systems can enable next-generation logistics. Goodyear's long-standing presence at the Brickyard 400—dating back to its origin in 1994— has focused on precision and performance across every terrain.
'Goodyear has long stood at the intersection of driving performance and vehicle intelligence—from the racetrack to autonomous innovation,' said Rich Cottrell, Senior Director, Commercial Marketing, Goodyear. 'This deployment connects Goodyear's racing legacy with our premium commercial tire technology and fleet solutions—helping advance performance and uptime for modern logistics. We're proud to support this milestone with Kratos and Champion Tire & Wheel.'
The Brickyard 400 deployment also builds on the I-70 Truck Automation Corridor (TAC) program, an active multi-state effort to accelerate the safe integration of automated trucking along key Midwest freight corridors. Led by DriveOhio (Ohio Department of Transportation), the Indiana Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other stakeholders, the I-70 TAC program uses Kratos' auto-platooning systems deployed with EASE Logistics to support freight movements along I-70 between Columbus, OH, and Indianapolis, IN with safety riders in each vehicle.
The Kratos dual-use technology strategy of leveraging defense-developed technology for commercial applications maximizes the value of internal research and development investments across sectors. By demonstrating this technology in motorsports logistics, Kratos aims to drive innovation that delivers immediate, real-world impact. As the company puts it, 'Kratos makes true internally funded research, development, capital and other investments, to rapidly develop, produce and field solutions that address our customers' mission critical needs and requirements.'
Kratos' primary business areas include virtualized ground systems for satellites and space vehicles including software for command & control and telemetry, tracking and control, jet powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles and rocket systems, propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, space craft and launch systems, and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, satellite, counter UAS, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual & augmented reality training systems for the warfighter.
Platooning Elsewhere
In addition to on-highway platooning, Kratos has fielded truck platooning to support agricultural freight operations on two-lane farm roads in North Dakota. This use case is motivated by a driver shortage. The ability to use only one driver to move two trucks full of harvested goods is highly compelling to the growers.
According to the Bishop Consulting 2024 Automated Driving Industry Trends Report – Trucks, truck platooning has been deployed in China by KargoBot and Pony.ai. Hexagon is running platooned trucks to haul iron ore for Mineral Resources in Australia.
As long as the truck driver shortage continues (and probably gets worse), any and every technology to support the movement of freight with fewer drivers is a win for the supply industry as a whole.
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