How can autonomous trucks be integrated in forest operations? That’s one of the questions that FPInnovations’ autonomous transportation team aimed to get clarity on during this year’s autonomous transportation pilot project.
FPInnovations has facilitated collaboration between West Fraser and Kodiak AI, a leading provider of Physical AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology, and had the opportunity to oversee this groundbreaking autonomous log hauling pilot which took place this summer in Hinton Alberta.
The FPI-Kodiak team completed two test weeks which included crew training, validating safety procedures, collecting baseline data, and mapping key road segments to pinpoint operational constraints. With both manual and autonomous runs completed — combined with insights from logging truck drivers and site personnel — the team gained a sharper view of real‑world variables such as dust, grades, surface conditions, and mixed traffic.
West Fraser, Kodiak and FPInnovations are now working together on defining the next steps from this initial validation, engaging with stakeholders and Alberta Regulators.
This project is supported by NRCan, and its goal was to assess the performance of Kodiak’s autonomous capable truck, identifying technological gaps and pave the way to autonomous transportation integration in forest operations.
