Atlas Energy Solutions Inc. plans to expand its autonomous truck operations in the US Permian Basin from 28 to 100 trucks by mid-2027, partnering with Kodiak AI, Inc. The trucks will be retrofitted with sensors, controls, cameras, and other hardware to operate using an AI "driver." The expansion will add a second load-out point along its 42-mile (68 km) "Dune Express" sand conveyor system, improving transport and supply of proppant, a special grade of sand used in hydraulic fracturing. Currently, autonomous trucks operate from one load-out point at a time; adding another—one in Texas and one in New Mexico—will cover a wider area. Since incorporating driverless trucks, they have carried approximately 7,000 loads totaling around 450,000 tons of sand over 23,500 "driverless hours." To date, these trucks have operated on controlled oilfield logistics networks or private roads, not public highways. Atlas and Kodiak expect to begin operating on public roads by early 2027, subject to regulatory and operational approval. John Turner, CEO and President of Atlas Energy Solutions, said the partnership is critical to transforming oilfield sand logistics through innovation, aiming to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance customer operational success.