How a meeting in Kyiv sparked a disruptive deal between ARX Robotics and Daimler Truck AG

On March 28, the German defence tech company ARX Robotics announced a strategic partnership with Daimler Truck AG, the world’s largest truck manufacturer. According to the companies’ statement, this collaboration marks a significant step forward in redefining how military vehicles operate in a digitally connected battlespace.

The statement highlights that ARX Robotics’ MithraOS operating system and ARX Core architecture will be integrated into Daimler Truck’s platforms, including Zetros and Unimog. This will unlock next-generation capabilities for military trucks, such as smarter decision-making, secure connectivity, and AI-driven autonomy.

Roberta Randerath, Head of Business Development bei ARX Robotics, shared details about the partnership’s origins on her LinkedIn page. According to her, less than six months ago, she met in Kyiv with Daniel Zittel, a Head of Sales & Business Development of Defence & Industrial Business at Daimler Truck AG. 

“At the time, I had no idea where that conversation would lead. But from that encounter, an idea was born: combining our strengths to support Ukraine and modernize European armed forces”, she wrote.  

“I had no idea where this conversation would lead. But that was the moment when the idea was born—to combine our strengths to support Ukraine and modernize Europe’s armed forces,” she wrote.

According to Randerath, the ARX Robotics and Daimler Truck AG agreement is more than just a partnership: “ It’s about empowering forces with software-defined mobility, driving European defense innovation, and reinforcing NATO’s operational edge.” 

Both ARX Robotics and Daimler Truck AG have built strong ties with Ukraine during the full-scale war. At the end of 2024, ARX Robotics opened an office in Kyiv. According to ARX Robotics Ukraine CEO Ihor Kornilov, the next step for the company will be the localization of production in Ukraine. “The goal is to maximize the use of Ukrainian-made products and technologies. We will do everything possible to increase the share of components, devices, and structures manufactured in Ukraine,” Kornilov told DOU in late February 2025.

Additionally, ARX Robotics has become a resident of Ukraine’s Diia City tax regime. Meanwhile, Daimler Truck AG has repeatedly supplied vehicles to Ukraine’s Defense Forces throughout the three years of full-scale war.