Category: News

Torc Robotics Announces First-Ever Autonomous-Trucking Partnership at Mila to Advance Physical AI

by Torc | May 26, 2026 | Featured, News

Hoods of Torc modified Freightliner Cascadias

Montréal, QC and Blacksburg, VA, May 26, 2026 — Torc Robotics, a pioneer in self-driving vehicle technology, today announced a new strategic partnership with Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, one of the world’s leading centers for machine learning research.

Through this collaboration, Torc will establish a presence within Mila’s ecosystem in Montreal, becoming the only autonomous trucking company to join the institute, and gaining access to top-tier academic talent, including students, researchers, and faculty. The partnership also includes dedicated research space on site and is designed to build on Torc’s existing AI and autonomy research to deepen its capabilities in physical AI through direct collaboration with Mila’s faculty and researchers.

Mila is globally recognized for its contributions to machine learning and applied AI research, with a large community of researchers, strong ties to leading universities in Canada, and a reputation as a launchpad for top AI talent, with alumni and affiliates holding leadership roles in well known companies such as OpenAI and Google. By embedding within Mila’s collaborative environment, Torc will deepen its research capabilities in emerging areas of autonomy, including generative world models, multi-agent behavior modeling, reinforcement learning, and foundation models for physical AI systems.

“Torc is focused on building safe, scalable autonomous trucks, and advancing the next generation of physical AI is central to that mission,” said Felix Heide, Head of Artificial Intelligence at Torc. “As a long-time Mila collaborator, I can definitively say that partnering enables deeper collaboration at the intersection of research and real-world deployment, collaboration that supports continued progress toward commercializing autonomous trucking at scale.”

“We are excited to welcome Torc as an industry partner, as it becomes an even stronger component of Mila’s ecosystem,” said Christopher Pal, Core Academic Member at Mila, Scientific Co-Director of IVADO and Professor at Polytechnique Montréal. “This partnership brings together academic excellence and real-world deployment, creating opportunities for our students and researchers to work on impactful challenges in physical AI while advancing the state of the art in autonomous systems.”

The partnership builds on Torc’s existing presence in Montreal and an affiliation with Mila that dates back to 2020, reinforcing its commitment to investing in global AI talent and research partnerships. Together, Torc and Mila will explore new approaches to physical AI that bridge simulation and real-world performance, helping to unlock safer and more efficient autonomous transportation.

“As autonomous vehicle technology becomes closer to a reality, it is exciting and important to see new collaborations between academic labs and top tier companies that are bringing the technology to market,” said Liam Paull, a Core Academic Member at Mila, a Canada CIFAR AI Chair, and an Associate Professor at Université de Montréal, where he co-leads the Montréal Robotics and Embodied AI Lab (REAL).

About Torc

Torc is driving the future of freight with autonomous technology. Torc has more than 20 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers an AI-forward, self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. In addition to its Blacksburg headquarters and engineering offices in Ann Arbor, MI, and Montreal, Torc has a fleet operations facility in Dallas-Fort Worth, to support the company’s productization and commercialization efforts for our customers. As an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking, Torc is empowering exceptional employees, delivering a customer-focused autonomous truck product, and providing the safest, most reliable, and cost-efficient solution to the market.

About Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute

Founded by Professor Yoshua Bengio, Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute is the world’s largest academic AI research center specialized in deep learning, home to a community over 1500 members strong. Based in Montreal, Mila was created out of a unique partnership between Université de Montréal and McGill University, dedicated to advancing scientific breakthroughs that drive innovation and ensure AI benefits everyone. A non-profit organization, Mila is strongly supported by the Government of Canada through the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy and by the Government of Quebec. Internationally recognized for its influential research, global innovation partnerships, and leadership in multilateral efforts on responsible AI, Mila continues to shape the future of AI worldwide. For more information, visit mila.quebec.

The autonomous ready Freightliner Cascadia, with Torc virtual driver software embedded within the chassis.

ACT Expo 2026 Recap: Two Torc Trucks Are Better Than One

by Kiley Thompson | May 14, 2026 | Featured, News

act-expo-2026-peter-vaughan-schmidt-panel

ACT Expo 2026 once again brought together the most influential voices in commercial transportation in Las Vegas. As North America’s largest advanced transportation technology event, the May 4-7 event served as a key meeting point where innovation, policy, and real-world deployment converged.

Torc trucks were front in center in not one booth, but two. Penske Transportation Solutions and Torc’s parent company, Daimler Truck, were both event presenting sponsors, and each took the opportunity to showcase Torc autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia vehicles, featuring TorcDrive, in their booths.

“I think the hurdles have shifted,” said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, Torc CEO, during the Virtual Driver Revolutionizing Trucking and Logistics panel on Tuesday, May 5. “In the past, it was really proving that your technology is really working. And as things come together both with compute and with range and end to end AI, I think the real hurdle is proving to customers that it seamlessly fits and provides a better fit for them — that you can run autonomous trucks from point to point, not just hub to hub.”

Watch the full session here:

“We are the only ones that actually run on production-intent hardware and software. That’s needed for scale… at low cost, high quality and high volume,” said Peter. “That’s our race to produce a safe and scalable product for our customers.”

The 2026 event spotlighted the technologies shaping the future of fleets, including autonomous vehicles, battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and near-zero emissions solutions, along with the infrastructure and software required to scale them. Industry leaders, OEMs, fleet operators, utilities, and policymakers shared insights focused on accelerating the transition to cleaner, more efficient transportation.

Beyond the exhibit hall, ACT Expo 2026 offered in-depth educational sessions covering total cost of ownership, charging and fueling strategies, regulatory updates, and real-world case studies from fleets already leading the transition.

With collaboration and innovation at its core, ACT Expo 2026 helped fleets conceptualize and jumpstart the move from ambition to action, and Torc was there as a physical representation of that action, twice over.

Panelists at the ACT Expo 2026 Virtual Driver Revolutionizing Trucking and Logistics session

Image courtesy of ACT Expo

Torc Appoints Tobias Wessels as Chief Financial Officer

by Torc | May 12, 2026 | News

Rebeca Delgado, VP Engineering – Autonomy Applications

Veteran finance executive to help scale operations and advance commercialization of autonomous trucking solutions

BLACKSBURG, Va. – May 12, 2026 – Torc Robotics today announced the appointment of Tobias Wessels as Chief Financial Officer. Wessels brings more than two decades of financial and operational leadership across autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and deep-tech sectors, joining at a pivotal moment as Torc advances toward commercial deployment of Level 4 autonomous trucks on U.S. highways.

Wessels joins Torc from Helm.ai, where as Chief Development Officer he led finance, corporate development, and international expansion — including the build-out of the company’s Stuttgart operations and its partnership with Volkswagen Group. He previously served as Chief Corporate Development Officer at autonomous delivery company Udelv, and earlier as CFO of X — the moonshot factory at Alphabet — where he helped build the financial foundation for breakthrough initiatives, including what is now Waymo. His career spans the full arc of autonomous vehicle development, from first principles to commercial scale.

“Tobias brings a rare combination of deep technical understanding and financial rigor, shaped by experience at the forefront of autonomy and AI,” said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO of Torc. “As we continue to scale our operations, his leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our financial strategy, enhancing operational discipline, and positioning Torc for long-term success.”

“In Tobias, we found a finance leader whose career has tracked the arc of autonomy itself — from the earliest days of Waymo through commercial AI to the operational scaling we are pursuing now,” said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO of Torc. “His combination of deep-tech operating experience and transatlantic fluency makes him uniquely suited to partner with our team and with Daimler Truck as we bring autonomous freight to market.”

In his role, Wessels provides integral support to Torc’s continued growth, operational scaling, and long-term strategic initiatives.

“Torc occupies a position no other autonomous trucking company can match — Daimler Truck’s strategic backing, a purpose-built focus on freight, and the technology and team to deliver at scale,” said Wessels. “After more than twenty years operating at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and capital, I see few opportunities this clear. I’m focused on building the financial infrastructure to match Torc’s technical and commercial ambition — and on partnering with Peter, the executive team, and Daimler Truck to make autonomous freight a reality on American highways.”

About Torc

Torc is driving the future of freight with autonomous technology. Torc has more than 20 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers an AI-forward, self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. In addition to its Blacksburg headquarters and engineering offices in Ann Arbor, MI, and Montreal, Torc has a fleet operations facility in Dallas-Fort Worth, to support the company’s productization and commercialization efforts for our customers. As an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking, Torc is empowering exceptional employees, delivering a customer-focused autonomous truck product, and providing the safest, most reliable, and cost-efficient solution to the market.

Aeva Delivers Atlas C-Samples to Daimler Truck for Autonomous Truck Production Program

by Torc | May 7, 2026 | News

A Torc autonomous truck with the logos of AEVA, Daimler Truck, and Torc superimposed on top of it

This press release was originally published by AEVA.

Milestone Advances Deployment of Industry-Leading Long-Range 4D LiDAR for Level 4 Autonomous-Ready Freightliner Cascadia Trucks

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 6, 2026 – Aeva® (Nasdaq: AEVA), a leader in next-generation sensing and perception systems, today announced it has delivered initial C-sample units of its Aeva Atlas™ 4D LiDAR sensors to Daimler Truck North America and Torc Robotics, marking a major milestone in the companies’ collaboration for the future series production of SAE Level 4 autonomous Class 8 semi-trucks.

The C-sample delivery represents a critical step toward the deployment of autonomous Freightliner Cascadia trucks in North America, where Aeva is the exclusive long-range LIDAR supplier. Atlas serves as a critical perception sensor in the vehicle’s autonomous driving system, enabling high-precision detection and tracking of objects at long distances required for safe highway autonomy.

“Our partnership with Aeva continues to make strong progress as we move toward series production of our autonomous truck program,” said Rakesh Aneja, Head of Corporate Development at Daimler Truck North America. “The delivery of Atlas C-samples reflects the maturity of Aeva’s technology and the strength of our collaboration as we work together to bring safe, reliable autonomous trucking solutions to market.”

With C-sample delivery underway, Aeva and Daimler Truck will continue integration, validation, and system optimization as the program advances towards series production.

“Delivering Atlas C-sample sensors to Daimler Truck marks a major step toward bringing autonomous trucking towards series production,” said Soroush Salehian, Co-founder and CEO of Aeva. “Atlas is purpose-built for the long-range perception required at highway speeds, and our unique ability to measure both distance and instant velocity enables autonomous systems to detect and respond to hazards earlier and with greater confidence. We’re proud to advance our collaboration with Daimler Truck towards launch as the industry moves closer to deploying safe autonomous trucks at scale.”

Atlas is powered by Aeva’s Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology, which simultaneously measures range and velocity for every detected point. This capability allows autonomous systems to directly detect and track objects at long distances with high confidence while maintaining strong performance across a variety of weather and lighting conditions.

The Atlas platform is designed to deliver long-range detection up to 500 meters, enabling autonomous trucks to perceive critical hazards far ahead of the vehicle and respond safely at highway speeds. The sensor’s ability to directly measure velocity also helps autonomous systems distinguish moving objects from static background elements, improving reliability in complex driving environments.

About Aeva Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEVA)

Aeva’s mission is to bring the next wave of perception to a broad range of applications from automated driving, manufacturing automation and smart infrastructure, to robotics and consumer devices. Aeva is accelerating autonomy with its groundbreaking perception platform that integrates lidar-on-chip technology, system-on-chip processing, and perception algorithms onto silicon leveraging silicon photonics. Aeva 4D LiDAR sensors uniquely detect velocity and position simultaneously, allowing automated devices like vehicles and robots to make more intelligent and safe decisions. For more information, visit www.aeva.com, or connect with us on X or LinkedIn.

About Torc

Torc is driving the future of freight with autonomous technology. Torc has more than 20 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers an AI-forward, self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. In addition to its Blacksburg headquarters and engineering offices in Ann Arbor, MI, and Montreal, Torc has a fleet operations facility in Dallas-Fort Worth, to support the company’s productization and commercialization efforts for our customers. As an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking, Torc is empowering exceptional employees, delivering a customer-focused autonomous truck product, and providing the safest, most reliable, and cost-efficient solution to the market.

Aeva, the Aeva logo, Aeva 4D LiDAR, Aeva Atlas, Aeries, Aeva Eve, Aeva Omni, Aeva CityOS, Aeva Ultra Resolution, Aeva CoreVision, and Aeva X1 are trademarks/registered trademarks of Aeva, Inc. All rights reserved. Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Forward looking statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to expectations about our product features, performance and our collaboration with Daimler Truck, including the deployment described herein. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including, but not limited to: (i) the fact that Aeva is an early stage company with a history of operating losses and may never achieve profitability, (ii) Aeva’s limited operating history, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations and to identify and realize additional opportunities, (iv) the ability for Aeva to have its products selected for inclusion in OEM products for commercial scale production, (v) the fact that products using Aeva’s technology may never achieve commercial production, (vi) unforeseen manufacturing issues or defects, (vii) Aeva’s ability to scale production if any products achieve commercial success, (viii) market acceptance of LiDAR technology and autonomous driving and other applications, (ix) general economic conditions and other material risks and other important factors that could affect our financial results. Please refer to our filings with the SEC, including our most recent Form 10-Q and Form 10-K. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Aeva assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Aeva does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

Contacts

Media:
Michael Oldenburg
press@aeva.ai

Investors:
Andrew Fung
investors@aeva.ai

Torc Supports GO Virginia–Funded Effort to Align Autonomous Vehicle Workforce Training Across the Commonwealth

by Torc | Mar 10, 2026 | Featured, News

Torc and Dock 2 Door VTTI team in front of Torc trucks on the Smart Road

Torc contributes industry expertise to VTTI-led Dock to Door Pathways Program focused on AV inspection and credentialed career pathways

BLACKSBURG, Va – March 10, 2026 – Torc, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving class 8 trucks, today announced its participation in a newly awarded GO Virginia Region 2 planning grant led by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI)’s Dock to Door Coalition (D2D). The one-year grant will support planning efforts to align university and community college curriculum with evolving workforce needs across the autonomous vehicle manufacturing ecosystem.

The initiative is designed to lay the groundwork for the future D2D Pathways Program, which would streamline training programs across Virginia to prepare students and mid-career professionals for in-demand roles — including inspection and safety-critical positions supporting autonomous commercial motor vehicles. The autonomous manufacturing sector is the second largest in Virginia’s Region 2, thus, opportunities to specialize and upskill are critical to staying on pace with industry growth.

As an industry partner, Torc is contributing subject matter expertise to help identify core competencies, training recommendations, and credentialing opportunities required for inspectors and technicians working with autonomous trucks. This includes aligning curriculum concepts with nationally recognized inspection and safety frameworks (such as CVSA) and defining career lattices that connect entry-level credentials to mid- and advanced-level roles.

“The autonomous trucking industry is rapidly advancing, and we recognize a strong need for trained experts in the field,” said Anita Kim, director, state government and regulatory affairs at Torc Robotics. “By working alongside VTTI and the Dock to Door Coalition, we’re helping ensure that education and training pathways reflect the skills needed to support safe autonomous trucking operations — and that those pathways lead to sustainable jobs here in Virginia.”

The planning grant brings together industry, academic, nonprofit and public-sector stakeholders through the Dock to Door Coalition, a network of more than 90 partners spanning the supply chain. The effort will focus on mapping existing programs, identifying gaps, and recommending pathways that support both autonomous and electric vehicle manufacturing and operations.

“This work is about translating industry demand into actionable training pathways,” said Kaitlyn Bedwell, project lead and a team leader within the supply chain, transportation, automation and resource sustainability team at VTTI. “As new policies and license requirements emerge, working alongside Torc, which is on the frontline of industry innovations, will help our students and future engineers stay ahead of the curve.”

The GO Virginia Region 2 planning grant began on November 15, 2025, and will run for one year. Findings from the effort are expected to inform a future implementation phase focused on deploying scalable, industry-aligned workforce training programs across Virginia.

About Torc

Torc, 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 industry, Torc has over 20 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. In addition to its Blacksburg headquarters and engineering offices in Ann Arbor, MI, and Montreal, Torc has a fleet operations facility in Dallas-Fort Worth, to support the company’s productization and commercialization efforts. 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 the Dock-to-Door Coalition

The Dock to Door (D2D) Coalition, led by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, is a 90+ member partnership uniting industry, government, higher education, and non-profits to build a fully connected, resilient, and sustainable freight transportation system. The coalition accelerates next-generation supply chain innovation through four core program areas that improve safety, visibility, efficiency, and workforce readiness as it relates to advancing multimodal automation, from long-haul trucking to last-mile delivery—while expanding benefits to rural and suburban regions through strengthening of regional talent pipelines.

Two Torc trucks on the Smart Road in Blacksburg Virginia

Torc Robotics Expands Autonomous Truck Testing to Michigan Public Roads

by Torc | Feb 24, 2026 | Featured, News

Torc autonomous truck drives in front of University of Michigan stadium

Public-road testing in Michigan marks next step in Torc’s growth, technology development and path to commercialization

BLACKSBURG, Va. – February 24, 2026 – Torc, a pioneer in self-driving vehicle technology, today announced the expansion of its autonomous truck testing operations to public roads in Michigan using the latest-generation Daimler Truck autonomous chassis based on the industry-leading Freightliner Cascadia. Building on Torc’s established testing operations in Dallas-Fort Worth and Blacksburg, the expansion in Michigan marks a significant step in Torc’s continued growth in the region as the company deepens its engineering presence and broadens testing capabilities.

Testing its autonomous trucks in the greater Ann Arbor, Michigan area represents the natural next step in Torc’s strategy to bring this technology safely and reliably to the long-haul trucking industry. After establishing the Ann Arbor engineering office last year, the development work taking place there is now “on the road” in Michigan and contributing to Torc’s next generation of software. This enables the validation of autonomous performance across new environments and seasonal conditions for both hardware and software performance using real-world data.

“Validating our hardware and software together on public roads is a critical step in the marathon toward autonomous trucking commercialization,” said Felix Heide, Head of Artificial Intelligence at Torc. “Each new hardware generation allows us to further validate our AI inference models, strengthen our simulation accuracy, and ensure our autonomous system performs safely and reliably in real-world conditions.”

“Torc’s continued growth in Michigan highlights the importance of strong public-private partnerships in advancing next-generation mobility,” said Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund. “Through collaboration with companies like Torc, Michigan is driving innovation, building a skilled workforce, and reinforcing its position as a global leader in autonomous and connected vehicle technologies.”

The Michigan testing expansion builds on Torc’s continued partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Ann Arbor SPARK, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing safety and innovation in the freight industry through autonomous trucking.

Torc is currently hiring in Michigan and remotely for software engineering, artificial intelligence, and machine learning roles to support ongoing testing and development efforts. For more information about Torc’s technology, open positions, or progress toward commercializing autonomous trucking, visit torc.ai.

About Torc

Torc 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 20 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. Headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, Torc also operates an engineering office in Montreal, a fleet operations facility in DFW to support productization and commercialization efforts and a facility in Ann Arbor to leverage the region’s strong autonomous and automotive talent base. 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.