Kodiak AI has secured the highest possible Visually Enhanced Risk Assessment (VERA) Score from Nauto, marking a major milestone in autonomous vehicle safety performance. The VERA Score, a key benchmark developed by Nauto, measures driving safety by analyzing a fleet’s real-world driving behaviors and incidents. It distills this data into a single score that helps fleets track and improve overall safety over time.
In the latest evaluation, the Kodiak Driver, Kodiak’s AI-powered autonomous driving system, achieved an impressive VERA Score of 98—tying for the top position among more than 1,000 commercial fleets in Nauto’s global network. Remarkably, every other fleet in the study was operated by human drivers. For comparison, the average Nauto-equipped fleet scored 78, while fleets without Nauto’s AI safety platform averaged just 63.
This accomplishment underscores Kodiak’s commitment to developing autonomous systems that not only match but exceed human safety standards. The findings come at a critical time for the trucking industry. Between 2021 and 2023, more than 15,000 fatalities occurred in U.S. crashes involving large trucks, according to federal data. Truck driving continues to be one of the nation’s most dangerous professions, ranking seventh in occupational fatality rates in 2023. Long hours, fatigue, distraction, and high-pressure working conditions continue to contribute to elevated crash risks—challenges that emerging AI and automation technologies aim to reduce.
“Kodiak’s results validate what we’ve long believed: that the Kodiak Driver is among the safest operators on American highways,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak. “Nauto’s VERA Score offers an apples-to-apples comparison of fleet safety across both human-driven and autonomous operations. As we expand our driverless operations onto public roads, we’re committed to combining our own testing data with independent, AI-based evaluations like Nauto’s to strengthen our safety case. We’re excited to continue working with Nauto as we demonstrate that safety is the foundation of every Kodiak vehicle.”
The Kodiak Driver’s performance in the latest evaluation was exceptional across every category. It earned perfect scores in Inattentive Driving, High-Risk Driving, and Traffic Violations, significantly outperforming leading human-driven fleets. In the Aggressive Driving category, it achieved a score of 95, once again surpassing the human-driven fleet average. These results highlight the consistency, precision, and reliability of Kodiak’s autonomous technology under real-world driving conditions.
Dr. Stefan Heck, CEO of Nauto, emphasized the broader implications of Kodiak’s performance. “Our mission is to make roads safer for everyone by providing real-time, data-driven insights that help drivers prevent collisions and help fleets manage their risk,” he said. “Kodiak’s near-perfect VERA Score demonstrates the power of AI to enhance fleet safety. By adopting Nauto’s advanced safety tools, fleets can reduce risk, protect their drivers, and contribute to safer roads nationwide.”
With Nauto’s independent validation, Kodiak AI continues to solidify its position as a leader in safe autonomous trucking—setting a new benchmark for performance, consistency, and the future of AI-driven transportation.
