Author: Torc - Page 2 - Torc Robotics

Torc Robotics Recognized as a Finalist in PR Daily’s Social Media & Digital Awards

by Torc | Jun 4, 2024 | Featured, Press Release

BLACKSBURG, Va. – June 4, 2024 – Torc Robotics is thrilled to announce it’s been recognized as a finalist in the Brand Awareness and Grand Prize category of Team of the Year by PR Daily’s 2024 Social Media & Digital Awards for its brand communications efforts and achievements on social media in 2023. PR Daily’s Social Media & Digital Awards celebrates and recognizes the best digital communications and social media campaigns, content, projects and teams from the past year.

“Congratulations to Torc Robotics,” said Brendan Gannon, Senior Marketing Manager for Ragan’s, and PR Daily’s Awards programs. “The recognition is a testament to the hard work and innovation that you have poured into this work on behalf of your organization.”

Torc Robotics will be honored with the other finalists during the PR Daily Social Media & Digital Awards Luncheon, which will take place Aug. 1 at the Yale Club in New York City. This event will be an inspiring industry celebration, honoring the best digital and social media work, providing opportunities for attendees to engage with industry leaders, make new connections and gain insights from the best of the best.

“Torc is steadfast in its commitment to the transformative potential of autonomous trucking.” said Laura Lawton, Torc Director of External Communications. “Through our strategic use of social media on a global scale, we’ve engaged with audiences to educate and foster a growing sense of excitement to drive the future of freight.”

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.

About Ragan Communications and PR Daily

Ragan Communications has been delivering trusted news, training and intelligence for more than 50 years to internal and external communicators and business executives via its conferences, webinars, training, awards, subscriptions and its membership divisions. Its daily news sites—PRDaily.com and Ragan.com—are read by more than 600,000 internal and external communicators monthly.

imaginAviation 2024 Panel: How Ideas Become Innovation

by Torc | Apr 4, 2024 | Education

Innovation. Resistance. Transformation. Collaboration. These ideas paved the way for a panel discussion at imaginAviation 2024, featuring guest John Marinaro, Torc’s Vice President of Fleet Operations, along with host Dr. John A. Cavolowsky, NASA’s Director, Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program (TACP), and guest Sheilla Torres-Nieves, Associate Professor, Fluid Dynamics and Turbulence at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez.

Among the more notable topics were resistance to innovation, transformational innovation, and inspiration for innovation.

Resistance to Innovation

When asked to provide examples of how to overcome an unwillingness to adopt innovation or accept change, Marinaro recounted a statement from the Columbia Accident Investigation board that “NASA Safety wasn’t as credible or competent as it should be.” He then explained: “I spent the rest of my career engineering that out of ever being said in an accident investigation again.” As he led innovation of a safety training program, he encountered resistance from some of the senior SMEs that training could be delivered online using revolutionary lecture-capture technology. However, thanks to beta testing, the program had 250 graduates on day one of the safety training’s deployment and proved a successful innovation.

At Torc, one of the primary challenges is resistance to the idea of self-driving vehicles replacing truck drivers. However, a shortage of drivers at the tune of 60,000, Marinaro explained, is disrupting the supply chain and resulting economics. Torc is looking to fill that gap. Marinaro indicated that Torc’s goal is to create safer conditions through technology that produces real-time reactions through awareness of a 360-degree environment, coupled with the reality that the truck doesn’t “get tired.” He concludes, “At the end day, we’re not going to replace the drivers. We’re just gonna augment them and make it safer.”

Transformational Innovation

When Dr. Cavolowsky posed the question of how we apply transformational innovation, how we get there and what kind of innovation we need to bring, Assistant Professor Torres-Nieves answered, “When we hear transformational, we think about changing the way we live drastically…changing culturally…changing from the fundamentals.” Torres-Nieves mentioned the “Change the World” talent competition offered at her university that she and a peer had engaged. In it, the competition gave both training and funding on how to push the idea out, get support, and advertise it to introduce transformational innovation into industry.

Marinaro offered a story regarding the integration of the Cirrus aircraft parachute system into aircraft which has proven to be a successful transformation in flight safety and resulted from an accident where it was clear the life-saving system was needed for pilots.

Inspiration for Innovation

Cavolowsky asked: “Our world is filled with so many issues and problems. How does one go about finding purpose or fulfillment in solving them?” Torres-Nieves’ suggested, “Do what you love.” She recommended aligning purpose with what you do – not that it’s not frustrating or challenging, but that you persist in spite of the challenges. Meanwhile, Marinaro agreed and expressed that one should continue to learn, to press forward. He said, “80% on time is better than 100% late.” To remedy this, he posed that individuals strategize realistic goals and pursue them to the finish, not necessarily to perfection.

View the entire panel above or on YouTube here.

“At the end day, we’re not going to replace the drivers. We’re just gonna augment them and make it safer.”
John Marinaro, Director of Fleet Operations

Torc Robotics Wins 2024 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award

by Torc | Mar 21, 2024 | Featured, Press Release

Blacksburg, VA — March 21, 2024 — Torc Robotics announced today that it was named a winner in the Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards program by The Business Intelligence Group.

As the world’s leading autonomous trucking solution, Torc delivers a focused, hub-to-hub autonomous truck product while providing customers with the safest, most reliable and cost-efficient solution on the market. Through its proprietary machine learning and AI technologies, Torc automates on-the-road data processing, enabling its software in a self-driving-18-wheeler-to take in data from its sensor suite and automatically classify it, helping the system define signs or objects made for human vision. In collaboration with carriers like C.R. England and Schneider on autonomous trucking pilots, and leveraging partnerships with Foretellix, Uber Freight, Aeva and others, Torc is driving its technology toward scalable commercialization in 2027.

“Artificial intelligence has allowed us to produce technology that was previously unimaginable on the road, and it’s an honor to be recognized for our efforts,” said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO of Torc Robotics. “In order to reach our goal of commercialization of autonomous trucks by 2027, they must be safe, economically viable and produced and maintained at scale. With the help of AI, I’m proud to share that at Torc we’re working on all three.”

“We are truly honored to recognize Torc Robotics with this prestigious award,” stated Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer for the Business Intelligence Group. “The unwavering commitment of their team to excellence and their innovative AI applications have catapulted them to this remarkable achievement. Congratulations to the entire organization!”

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.

About Business Intelligence Group
The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, these programs are judged by business executives having experience and knowledge. The organization’s proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.

Contact
Laura Lawton
press@torc.ai

Maria Jimenez
+1 909-529-2737
jmaria@bintelligence.com

Torc Robotics Names Richard Kannan as New Chief Financial Officer

by Torc | Mar 14, 2024 | Press Release

Kannan officially joins Torc’s executive leadership team to head financial operations in support of the company’s go-to-market strategy

BLACKSBURG, Va – March 14, 2024 – Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG and a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced the appointment of Richard Kannan as the organization’s new Chief Financial Officer. In his role, Kannan will manage all financial operations and lead the development of Torc’s overall financial strategy as it moves to bring its autonomous trucking technology to market. He will also oversee all reporting, enterprise risk management and compliance obligations for the business.

“Richard has proven himself to be an invaluable asset to Torc during his time as interim CFO, and I am thrilled to welcome him as a permanent member of our executive team,” said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, Torc Robotics’ CEO. “Richard helps shape our operational and business decisions using a data-driven approach. This will be essential as we work toward scalable market entry in 2027.”

After serving as interim CFO for Torc Robotics over the last several months, Kannan now becomes a permanent member of the executive leadership team. This prior integration empowered him to better understand and model Torc’s budgeting and forecasting for the business’s short- and long-term goals. It also provided invaluable context on the most significant reporting needs for the CEO, Board of Directors, and other key stakeholders.

“Being able to contribute to Torc’s vision of transforming the trucking industry with autonomous technology is an incredible opportunity, and one that I look forward to taking on as Chief Financial Officer,” said Kannan. “To collaborate with such smart people here at Torc, alongside our partner Daimler Truck AG, is an honor. I look forward to helping create value for our many stakeholders as we drive the future of freight.”

Spanning several industries during his career, Kannan generated multimillion-dollar cash flow and savings improvements. This timeframe included the pandemic and 2008 financial crisis. Kannan’s leadership style is nimble and data driven. With decades of prior experience coaching and mentoring teams in senior roles for General Electric and Genworth Financial, Kannan has lent his skills in the C-suite both as a fractional and full-time CFO for online retail companies spanning the U.S. He is a licensed CPA in the state of Virginia and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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.

Bhuvana Ramachandran Joins Torc Robotics’ Engineering and Release Organization as VP of Engineering

by Torc | Mar 7, 2024 | Press Release

With 18 years of experience, Ramachandran will leverage her skillset in delivering complex integrated systems to lead the development and deployment of autonomous driving technology

BLACKSBURG, Va – March 7, 2024 – Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG and a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced the appointment of Bhuvana Ramachandran as the vice president of engineering in the Product Engineering and Release organization. In her role, Ramachandran will be responsible for developing a comprehensive approach to the safe development, systematic testing and deployment of autonomous driving technology in Level 4 freight trucks.

“Bhuvana’s background and expertise in AI-based autonomous vehicle solutions coupled with her passion for innovation will be crucial for us on our journey towards commercialization of autonomous trucking,” said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, Torc Robotics’ CEO. “Bhuvana is a seasoned leader in the industry, and we are fortunate to have her aboard the Torc Robotics team.”

Along with system level testing, Ramachandran will lead simulation validation, with a goal of building a realistic, high-fidelity virtual environment while meticulously replicating real-world driving scenarios, enabling rigorous qualification and refinement of self-driving algorithms and systems. Virtual validation allows for the systematic exploration of various road conditions, traffic scenarios and unexpected events, helping to uncover potential challenges and vulnerabilities in the autonomous system.

Having spent more than five years establishing the team and directing autonomous vehicle software quality for Zoox, Ramachandran’s expertise extends across various domains from networking hardware, embedded software for virtualization and data storage products, to artificial-intelligence-based autonomous vehicles and their validation. She has successfully led teams through the analysis and implementation of verification and validation processes for driverless operational design domains and has experience in orchestrating seamless product releases.

“Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to driving innovation, ensuring the highest quality in products, and fostering a collaborative engineering culture to achieve transformative results,” said Ramachandran. “Torc’s commitment to advancing autonomous technology in a safe and sustainable way aligns perfectly with my passion for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in engineering.”

For more information on Torc, please visit www.torc.ai.

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.