Torc Robotics Performs Successful Fully Autonomous Product Validation
BLACKSBURG, Va – Oct. 29, 2024 – Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG and a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced it began successful advanced validation of the company’s autonomous trucks without a driver in a multi-lane closed-course environment earlier this year.
Conducted at full operating speed of up to 65 mph to optimize fuel efficiency, Torc’s driverless product acceptance test underscores Torc’s evolution to productization, positioning the company to scale and commercialize safe, robust autonomous trucking solutions by 2027. Unlike a demo, this milestone highlights Torc’s entry into scalable product release, with the company’s applied artificial intelligence (AI) technology, system architecture, production-intent embedded hardware and safety engineering converging to shape a product that prioritizes true software best practices and safer roadways for all.
“Artificial intelligence has undoubtedly been the biggest buzzword of the year, but real-world uses are few and far between. Autonomous trucking is one of the most concrete applications for AI that can drive demonstrated revenue, business value and industry transformation – and Torc is at the forefront of creating a safe autonomous solution with safety, scalability and cost efficiency top of mind,” commented Torc’s Chief Technology Officer, CJ King. “With our long-standing tenure in the autonomous space, this milestone reinforces Torc’s safety-focused commitment to driving the future of freight.”
This product validation milestone exemplifies Torc’s commitment to rigorous safety and maturity standards, marking a critical step from advanced engineering and development to full productization on a unified, embedded platform.
“This is a key moment in our mission to build a profitable, scalable business as the world’s leading autonomous solution,” commented CEO Peter Vaughan Schmidt. “We observed impressive reliability in our repeated driverless runs, which leveraged Torc’s unparalleled embedded and integrated platform on Daimler Truck’s Freightliner Cascadia. We look forward to unlocking the full value of autonomous driving software for customers who prioritize safety, operations costs, ease of use and reliability.”
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has over 19 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and engineering offices in Austin, Texas; Stuttgart, Germany; and Montreal, Canada. Torc’s purpose is driving the future of freight with autonomous technology. As the world’s leading autonomous trucking solution, we empower exceptional employees, deliver a focused, hub-to-hub autonomous truck product, and provide our customers with the safest, most reliable, and cost-efficient solution to the market.
Assets
Torc Robotics Expands Leadership Team with New VP of HR Operations and VP of Global Talent Management
Lisa Nelms and Annie Reape bring nearly four decades of experience to
Torc Robotics’ HR team
BLACKSBURG, Va – Oct. 24, 2024 – Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG and a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced the appointment of two new vice presidents. Annie Reape will take on the role of VP of Global Talent Management and Lisa Nelms will join as Vice President of HR Operations.
In her new role, Reape will join the senior leadership team and support in leading Torc’s global talent management group, aiming to support, develop, and retain top talent for the organization. Her role will be critical in aligning global talent initiatives with Torc’s growth objectives and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Similarly, Nelms will act as a member of the senior leadership team and manage and optimize the day-to-day systems, process improvement and overall operations of Torc’s HR function. She will focus on enhancing employee engagement, overseeing HR processes and technology, ensuring a supportive work environment as Torc continues to drive innovation in the autonomous trucking space.
Nelms and Reape will report directly to Jamie Swaim, Chief People Officer at Torc.
“Annie Reape’s wealth of expertise in talent management and HR Business Partnership and Lisa Nelms’ extensive experience in Workday Optimization and HR Operations will be instrumental in supporting Torc through its next growth stage,” said Jamie Swaim, Chief People Officer at Torc. “As we work toward autonomous trucking commercialization at scale, their expertise fostering innovative workplace cultures and driving team growth is more crucial than ever, and we’re thankful to have them join this expanded team.”
With 16 years of experience, Nelms brings deep knowledge in HR technology. She has a proven track record of driving HR transformations and optimizing organizational effectiveness. Previously, Nelms was VP of HR Modernization at Cognizant and an HR Transformation Practice Leader at DXC Technology. In these roles, she developed integrated HR programs, spearheaded business modernization efforts and drove cross-functional collaboration.
With two decades of experience in HR leadership and organizational development, Reape also excels in transforming global talent management strategies and enhancing organizational effectiveness. Her background spans roles in major companies such as Fortune Brands Water Innovations and Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, where she led teams through complex HR system implementations, strategic talent development, and organizational change management.
This announcement follows the news of Jamie Swaim’s appointment to Chief People Officer.
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has over 18 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and engineering offices in Austin, Texas; Stuttgart, Germany; and Montreal, Canada. Torc’s purpose is driving the future of freight with autonomous technology. As the world’s leading autonomous trucking solution, we empower exceptional employees, deliver a focused, hub-to-hub autonomous truck product, and provide our customers with the safest, most reliable, and cost-efficient solution to the market.
Driving the Future: Spotlighting the Torc Machine Learning Frameworks Team
Torc’s autonomous software system is constructed in part from machine learning and artificial intelligence components. The Torc Machine Learning Frameworks team is creating the software stack which learns from the data collected by our fleet of trucks in on-the-road testing. This group of engineers is responsible for the automated training of machine learning models, and then the automated testing and deployment to our embedded hardware.
“Our goal is to enable rapid iterations of our autonomous software ML stack and optimize our training and deployment processes,” says Nicolas Jourdan, Engineering Manager of the ML Frameworks team. “This work is crucial for accelerating the development of safe, reliable autonomous trucking technology.”
Breaking New Ground
The team’s efforts center around two ML initiatives: the Joint Training Framework (JTF) and the Joint Deployment Framework (JDF). The JTF restructures how ML models are trained, while the JDF transforms how these models are eventually deployed to our autonomous ready Freightliner Cascadia trucks.
Recently, the team reached a significant milestone: automated model optimization and deployment tests on Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) benches. Instead of having to request a truck for every deployment test of machine learning components, the teams can run tests on mirroring embedded hardware, which is tightly integrated in the cloud workflows of the team.
This breakthrough allows Torc to test ML models in a production-like environment more efficiently and scalable than ever before.
The Key to L4 Autonomy
The ML Frameworks team’s work is crucial for making Level 4 autonomous trucking a reality on U.S. public roads. “Our frameworks and standards are the backbone that will enable rapid product software releases,” Jourdan emphasizes. “In the fast-paced world of autonomous vehicle development, this ability to iterate quickly and deploy safely is what will set Torc apart.”
A Vision of Transformative Change
Fiete Botschen, Torc’s division lead for the Machine Learning Training and Release Factory, highlights the transformative potential of Machine Learning: “At Torc, we are not just developing autonomous vehicles. We are developing a data driven ecosystem, which allows us to improve our trucking software stack purely by consuming the data our trucks are collecting. This is the key enabler for expanding our logistics network. We will be able to scale our business rapidly once our production trucks hit the road.”
“As part of the Frameworks team, my daily work focuses on building a robust and scalable deployment infrastructure to ensure that every machine learning model operates with the highest reliability in an L4 autonomous environment. By driving seamless integration of complex ML models on embedded hardware, optimized for real-time performance, we are setting new industry standards. This infrastructure is critical for autonomous trucks to navigate dynamic road conditions safely and efficiently, and it reflects the foundational work I do each day to advance Torc’s leadership in autonomous freight.”
Long-Term Impact
The impact of the Torc ML Frameworks team is forward thinking. As autonomous vehicles become more prevalent, the robust, scalable systems developed by this team will be essential for:
- Rapid adaptation to new road conditions and scenarios
- Seamless integration of advancements in AI and machine learning
- Scaling our compute needs with a strong, cloud-based backend
- Monitoring and securing data standards
“In essence, we’re building the brain that will power the Torc autonomous trucking software,” Jourdan explains. “Our work today will enable more efficient logistics, and a robust transportation industry “
Spotlight on Innovation
Torc’s strength is its people. The ML Frameworks team is driven by the collective efforts of talented individuals working together to push the boundaries of what’s possible. The Joint Training Framework and Joint Deployment Framework is the groundwork for an adaptable future for autonomous technology.
Key contributors like Achyut Boggaram have been instrumental in designing and implementing crucial components such as Unified Data Loading Pipelines and Joint Deployment Framework. This technology enhances our ability to process complex sensor data and streamline our model deployment process, significantly reducing the time from development to real-world testing.
The team’s contributions extend beyond technical development. They’ve built a collaborative community spanning multiple divisions within Torc, fostering knowledge sharing and driving innovation. Their mentorship and proactive approach to problem-solving have been invaluable.
Botschen emphasizes, “The dedication and innovation shown by our ML Frameworks team is what makes our ambitious goals achievable. Their ability to solve complex problems, collaborate across teams, and continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible is what sets Torc apart in this competitive field.”
At Torc, we’re proud of the groundbreaking work our ML Frameworks team is doing. As we continue to drive the future of freight, we’re driven by a vision of safe, more efficient transport, Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our journey toward bringing L4 autonomous trucks to market.
Autonomous Vehicle Jobs: How to Find a Self-Driving Truck Job
The autonomous trucking sector has found itself at the epicenter of the global mobility revolution, driven by increased freight demand and powered by advancements in sensing, behavior algorithms and machine learning. Not only are governments around the world preparing for it, but commercial firms are growing more enthusiastic about the prospect of fully self-driving trucks on the road.
Thanks to this growing excitement about self-driving trucks, businesses will look for qualified workers to fill various autonomous driving jobs. If you’re searching for a position in the autonomous vehicle sector, get ready for a challenging and exciting opportunity.
How to Find Self-Driving Truck Jobs
Some autonomous vehicle jobs are focused on research and development, driving new capabilities for advanced driving and corner cases. Others develop and hone the software crucial to driving skills such as simulation, machine learning, perception components or mapping. Some focus on the day-to-day operations and testing vehicles on roads or test tracks.
Those interested in working as a self-driving truck engineer should have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, System, Industrial Engineering, Robotics, or a similar discipline. While educational qualifications are vital to companies, finding talented individuals with real-world experience is crucial. Employers will also demand knowledge of machine learning processes, Python and C++, as well as Linux. It’s crucial to know how to develop clean, manageable, and extendable code and an ability to navigate vast codebases.
If you’re considering autonomous vehicles careers, depending on the specialty, you’ll need to demonstrate experience with industry software, sensing hardware such as Lidar and radar, distributed computing, or distributed machine learning. While prior expertise in autonomous trucking, traffic simulation, or control and estimation algorithms testing is not necessarily required for these positions, it’s a desired skill set for possible applicants.
A successful self-driving vehicle engineer will need excellent verbal, writing, and interpersonal skills, as well as a willingness to learn, outstanding problem-solving abilities, and most importantly, the ability to operate successfully as part of a tight-knit team.
Prerequisites for Driverless Truck Jobs
The following skills are the most in-demand in an autonomous vehicle profession:
- Python
- C or C++
- Image processing
- Artificial intelligence
- Machine learning
- Git
- Java
- MATLAB
- Shell script
- Embedded software
Top Jobs in the Self-Driving Trucks Industry
Perception Software Engineer
One of the most highly sought-after self-driving truck jobs is that of a perception software engineer. This position presents the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology and machine learning models for self-driving trucks. A self-driving truck must be aware of fixed and moving objects in its surroundings and be able to self-navigate safely and correctly around them. Lidar, cameras, and radars are among the most common sensors used in this technology. Companies in the autonomous trucking development sector require researchers and software developers to be familiar with machine learning algorithms.
Computer Scientists
Autonomous Systems and Computer Science experts are needed to design and create software for intelligent systems for driverless trucking. Computer scientists seeking open autonomous trucking and self-driving trucks jobs will need to have a current understanding of one of the fastest developing and most dominant technical changes in transportation. These experts will need to display essential knowledge and skills in:
● Artificial intelligence
● Autonomous systems security troubleshooting
● Computer graphics
● Computer imaging
● Data mining
● Deep learning
● Industrial mathematics
● Process control
● Real-time systems
● Robotics
● Signal processing
● Software technology
Strategic Account Manager
Autonomous truck jobs within the trucking industry require a large number of technical experts and talented software engineers, but it is important that the final product meets the needs of customers. That’s why a strategic account manager is just as vital as an engineer. An account manager is someone who helps a company launch a new autonomous truck by developing, defining, and executing profit-generating initiatives. Companies will need a strategic account manager that works closely with sales, marketing, business units, and cross-functional teams.
Field Service Technician
A field service technician is one of the most important self-driving truck jobs because they assist with self-driving system testing. This includes extensive testing of operation, maintenance, and evaluation. The field service technician reports to the autonomous vehicle operator’s supervisor, who oversees assuring and maintaining the vehicle’s safety during operations. Customers are the focus of the field service technician’s work, which includes:
- Operations and maintenance training
- Installation supervision
- On-site system commissioning
- Fielding customer calls
- Acceptance testing
Industrial Engineer
An industrial engineer oversees the process and system to improve material flow, design tools, strategies, and various other jobs. Autonomous vehicles industrial engineers are primarily concerned with finding methods to make the manufacturing process more efficient for the trucking industry. To do this, industrial engineers use their expertise, materials flow, project management, order fulfillment procedures, and WMS.
Customer Success Field Representative
A customer success field representative is hired to serve customers and works with the sales and marketing departments to help them sell more highly technical products to target audiences. While representing the company, this crucial position maintains personal contact with consumers and gauges the needs of customers. Autonomous trucking requires a lot of attention not just to the machines, but to the product itself.
Autonomous Vehicles Jobs: Future Requirements
As the need for autonomous vehicle jobs advances, additional positions will be required to support the operation and maintenance of self-driving trucks. As more firms develop self-driving fleets, their recruiting needs will include additional positions supporting self-driving car maintenance and operation. The following are some of the most essential autonomous downstream jobs:
- Automotive Service Technician
- Recruiter
- Accountant
- Marketing Manager
- Technical Writer
Join us!
If you enjoyed learning about autonomous vehicles jobs, we would love to hear from you. At Torc, you’ll have the ability to build a rewarding career with opportunities to learn, innovate, and contribute to a world-changing mission. Torc is a leader and pioneer in the field of autonomous vehicles with over 17 years of industry experience.