Lisa Brown Joins Torc as Senior Director of Product Engineering, Safety & Security

by Kiley Thompson | May 6, 2025 | News

lisa-brown-sr-director-product-engineering-safety-security

BLACKSBURG, Va – May 6, 2025 – Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG and a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced the appointment of Lisa Brown as Senior Director of Product Engineering, Safety & Security. In her role, she will be responsible for defining product safety goals, enhancing intrinsic and extrinsic measurability of our autonomous product, and constructing our release case for the driver out delivery.

Brown will lead the Product Engineering, Safety and Security team, accountable for the safety roadmap, release case progression, and evangelization of the safety culture at Torc, as well as making sure our software development is in line with our release argumentation. Additionally, with her Systems Engineering team, she’ll be defining the systems requirements for our driver out implementation, concurrent with cybersecurity and safety.

Brown reports directly to Sheila Scanlon, Chief Product Officer at Torc.

With over 20 years of experience in automotive design across electronics, chassis, powertrain, and business development divisions, she brings deep knowledge in systems engineering and a proven track record in new product launches. Previously, she spent 20 years at Toyota North America in both R&D and Business Development, most recently as the general manager of the Electronic Systems Vehicle department.

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.

Torc’s Approach to AI

by Torc | Apr 30, 2025 | Featured

The self-driving semi-trucks of the future have arrived – and they’re driving on highways now. At Torc, our autonomous trucks are beyond the research and development of prototypes and moving into our commercialization phase. The trucks that will solve customer needs tomorrow are online and on the road today.

Torc’s self-driving product is powered by both our cutting-edge technology and our rapidly scalable business model. Underpinning it all is responsible and expert use of Artificial Intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a subset of computer science, including deep learning and reinforcement learning, where software is taught to perform tasks for many different applications that would normally require a human touch or direction, like pattern recognition, computer vision, and other forms of decision making. Using AI is especially suited to designing and testing autonomous vehicles, as cutting-edge AI approaches have been shown to deliver the highest accuracy and performance for a vehicle to see, think, and act on the road.

"Training the systems to make decisions through reinforcement learning achieves optimal outcomes.”

– Felix Heide, Head of AI at Torc

AI unlocks the ability for our autonomous driving product to learn to accurately perceive and understand its surroundings, determine what others on the road may do, and safely determine the right actions to take. It ultimately makes our product more reliable and scalable on different road networks in different conditions.

Additionally, our approach to software testing also uses AI, specifically generative AI and neural rendering combined with physics models and techniques. With generative AI, we drastically increase and improve our software’s ability to drive high-volume freight routes, as well as deal with rarely encountered edge cases, allowing our autonomous driving software to experience billions of test miles in a fraction of the time and cost

The Power of Torc’s Virtual Driver

Driving is a skill that people never stop developing. Every time we put the key in the ignition, we learn from our roads and our fellow drivers. We’re constantly tweaking and refining our own driving behaviors with time and experience – and so should our machines.

Enter AI. AI is what powers our software to pick up on changes in the world around it and adjust accordingly, in real-time. For example, whether it’s the ability to pause at a newly installed stop sign or notice construction cones modifying where it is safe to drive, AI powers how the scene is seen and understood, and how the truck should behave, to be the safest vehicle on the road. Its use in self-driving applications cannot be understated. AI can both teach and learn driving skills in less time – specifically what computers were invented to do.

We refer to our AI software suite as Torc’s Virtual Driver: our advanced approach on seeing, thinking, and acting for self-driving trucks. Torc’s Virtual Driver combines cutting edge end-to-end learning and verifiable AI with algorithmic redundancy, allowing Torc to quickly evolve and scale to interpret the world around it, as well as adapt and absorb new sensor technologies and customer routes.

You Might Be Interested In: Daimler Truck’s Autonomous-Ready Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia Hits Texas Roads With Torc

Achieving Safe and Accurate Perception, Planning, and Prediction

To train and verify the models within the Virtual Driver, and make our technology as robust as possible, Torc uses novel generative AI approaches for our software testing. It assesses the Virtual Driver by driving billions of miles in every conceivable circumstance (more miles than a human would ever be able to drive in their lifetime) in simulation before it hits the road, and making changes as needed in real-time. AI isn’t just saving us time – it’s saving lives by helping us create situations most humans would never encounter, such as various weather conditions, unexpected pedestrian or vehicle behaviors, and many other edge cases to deeply test that the Torc Virtual Driver works correctly in all conditions and scenarios.

“Overnight, we can create a massive number of heavily optimized scenarios with parallel conditions that we can use for training very easily. This also allows us to scale the data we need much more easily for verification and validation of the software,” says Felix Heide, Head of AI at Torc. “It is possible to train software models and perform object detection without any training data on completely unseen, unannotated sequences of frames. We can use any real-world videos from a vehicle dash cam or test vehicle and use AI to match objects in an image frame, create our own settings, and finally derive a myriad of scenarios in a novel way to get away from the heavy reliance on limited training data sets. Training the systems to make decisions through reinforcement learning achieves optimal outcomes.”

Together, the modular AI powered Virtual Driver, taught and tested by next-level generative world simulation AI and further validated in the real-world, elevates Torc’s AI approach to the next level.

Torc’s technology unlocks high-performance verifiable AI, what we call AV 3.0, the highest performance and safety measures in the industry. With real world plus generative AI data loops working together, Torc’s AV 3.0 approach on our production embedded hardware enables fast and predictable product scaling for our fleet customers.

Partnerships Make It Happen

Importantly, our technology is built on best-in-class industry partnerships. Our Virtual Driver runs on the Flex Jupiter high-performance embedded compute platform, powered by NVIDIA DRIVE AGX™ technology. It is factory-integrated within the industry’s first and only autonomous-ready Class 8 truck chassis, the 5.0 Freightliner Cascadia developed by Daimler Truck, providing highest reliability and volume for our fleet customers.

Taken individually, it’s impressive. Together, it’s unequaled. We’re offering our customers unparalleled levels of redundancy and high reliability. And with the Freightliner Cascadia already owning nearly 60% of the U.S. Class 8 long-haul trucking market share today, this product and this partnership cannot be matched.

Torc has the best power, performance, and cost advantages for freight companies moving to adopt self-driving trucking. Our strong collaborations ensure autonomous trucks can be quickly produced at scale to meet manufacturing and market demands by our customers.

You Might Be Interested In: Torc Collaborates with Flex on Physical AI Platform for Autonomous Trucks, Accelerated by NVIDIA

Our AI-powered simulation
make us fast, flexible, and efficient.

AUTONOMY FORWARD

Torc’s differentiations are distinct and our customer engagements prove we’re on the right path to delivering the right self-driving product at the right time. We’re combining all the pieces in the right order:

Our deep integration with Daimler Truck, building the autonomous-ready Freightliner chassis for safer, more reliable, day-to-day autonomous freight operations
Cutting-edge AI – AV 3.0 – providing end-to-end self-driving capabilities that are safe, scalable, and adaptable for US road networks
The embedded automotive-grade hardware needed to run Torc’s autonomous software, allowing for reliable real-time operation in harsh environments

But that’s not the end of the story. We’re not just working on the software and hardware. Our commercialization team is working closely with fleets today to understanding their needs tomorrow, their existing network infrastructure, and their pain points, so that we have the right application and tooling when the autonomous trucks are on the road.

The road to 2027 is paved with groundbreaking advancements, and with the support of AI technology, market and industry leaders, and the best team in the business, we’re driving toward a future where autonomous trucking transforms the way goods move across the world. Torc is driving the future of freight.

Our use of AI is governed internally by a cross-functional committee. The Generative AI Committee is dedicated to achieving Torc’s business objectives while adhering to the company’s commitment to Do the Right Thing. The Generative AI Committee’s mission is to establish a program to ensure AI systems used across Torc business functions conform with enterprise values, policy compliance, regulatory standards, and industry best practices.

From engines to algorithms: Gen AI in automotive software development, January 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/features/mckinsey-center-for-future-mobility/our-insights/from-engines-to-algorithms-gen-ai-in-automotive-software-development. AI tools have revealed a “productivity improvement of 44 percent when using gen AI with quality assurance measures, such as creating and automating tests to then enhance efficiency and code reliability.”

Torc Names Steve Kenner as Chief Safety Officer

by Torc | Apr 17, 2025 | People Ops, Featured, News

Steve Kenner, Safety and Regulatory at Torc

Kenner brings a wealth of experience leading safety at multiple automotive and tech companies as Torc nears market entry and commercialization

BLACKSBURG, Va – April 17, 2025 – Torc, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving class 8 trucks, today announced the appointment of Steve Kenner as the company’s Chief Safety Officer. Kenner brings nearly four decades of experience in engineering and automotive safety for companies like Aurora, Kodiak, General Motors, Uber and more to Torc as the company drives toward the commercialization of autonomous trucks.

In this role, Kenner will report to Torc’s CEO, Peter Vaughan Schmidt, overseeing the development and implementation of robust safety programs at a global level and representing Torc to federal and state agencies. Kenner will lead a team of internal safety experts, ensuring the continued cross-functional prioritization of safety into every facet of the organization – from development and testing to deployment.

“Steve’s impressive career trajectory and commitment to safety make him the ideal candidate to lead Torc’s safety, regulatory, compliance and government affairs efforts,” said Schmidt. “His deep expertise and leadership in the automotive industry will be instrumental in advancing our mission to commercialize autonomous trucks and ensure the highest standards of safety and regulatory compliance.”

“Torc’s innovative approach to autonomous trucking and its commitment to safety align perfectly with my professional values and goals. Joining Torc is an incredible opportunity to contribute to the future of transportation, and I look forward to working with the talented team to bring this technology to the freight industry,” commented Kenner.

Kenner’s distinguished career includes leadership positions at several leading U.S. automakers and technology companies, including Ford, Apple, Locomation and others. Most recently, he served as the Chief Safety Officer at Cruise, where he led a team of system engineers, safety experts, and regulatory compliance professionals.

Kenner holds an MBA from Stanford University and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Kettering University.

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 revolution, Torc has nearly 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 Austin, Texas, and Montreal, Canada, Torc has a fleet operations facility in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas, to support the company’s productization and commercialization efforts, as well as a presence in Ann Arbor, MI, to take advantage of the autonomous and automotive talent base in that region. 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.

Lisa Brown Joins Torc as Senior Director of Product Engineering, Safety & Security

by Kiley Thompson | May 6, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

BLACKSBURG, Va – May 6, 2025 – Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG and a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced the appointment of Lisa Brown as Senior Director of Product Engineering, Safety &...

Torc’s Approach to AI

by Torc | April 30, 2025 | Featured | 0 Comments

The self-driving semi-trucks of the future have arrived – and they’re driving on highways now. At Torc, our autonomous trucks are beyond the research and development of prototypes and moving into our commercialization phase. The trucks that will solve customer needs...

Torc Names Steve Kenner as Chief Safety Officer

by Torc | April 17, 2025 | People Ops, Featured, News | 0 Comments

Kenner brings a wealth of experience leading safety at multiple automotive and tech companies as Torc nears market entry and commercialization BLACKSBURG, Va – April 17, 2025 – Torc, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving class 8 trucks, today announced the...

Daimler Truck’s Autonomous-Ready Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia Hits Texas Roads With Torc

by Torc | April 16, 2025 | Featured, News | 0 Comments

This news is released jointly with Daimler Truck. The original can be found at www.daimlertruck.com. Daimler Truck delivers latest iteration of autonomous-ready truck platform based on the new Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia with redundant safety features to...

Texas Road Tour 2025: Legislators, First Responders Learn About Autonomous Trucking

by Kiley Thompson | April 11, 2025 | Education, Featured | 0 Comments

On the road again! Our Torc autonomous truck traveled between Austin and Ft. Worth for the Texas Road Tour 2025 Willie Nelson famously sings about being on the road again, and Torcrs (with their love of all things transportation) made that our theme song during the...

Daimler Truck CFO Eva Scherer Joins Torc Board

by Torc | April 2, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

Torc is pleased to announce that Eva Scherer, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Daimler Truck Holding AG, has joined Torc's Board of Directors as of February 24th, 2025. She joins the current board members Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, John O’Leary, President...

GTC 2025 Recap: ‘The Competition Is Shocked’ By Progress, Collaboration With NVIDIA, Flex

by Kiley Thompson | March 25, 2025 | Featured, News | 0 Comments

Sometimes, conferences are so big, they become a city within a city… with a very specific agenda. During the week of March 17, 2025, Over 39,000 people descended on San Jose to see all industry giant NVIDIA had to offer at their annual GPU Technology Conference, or...

Torc Collaborates with Flex on Physical AI Platform for Autonomous Trucks, Accelerated by NVIDIA

by Torc | March 18, 2025 | News, Featured | 0 Comments

The platform leverages NVIDIA DRIVE AGX with Flex’s Jupiter compute platform and manufacturing capabilities to support Torc’s productization and scaled market entry in 2027 BLACKSBURG, Va – March 18, 2025 – Torc, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving class 8...

Daimler Truck’s Autonomous-Ready Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia Hits Texas Roads With Torc

by Torc | Apr 16, 2025 | Featured, News

Torc's fifth generation Freightliner Cascadia with Daimler Truck

This news is released jointly with Daimler Truck. The original can be found at www.daimlertruck.com.

Daimler Truck delivers latest iteration of autonomous-ready truck platform based on the new Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia with redundant safety features to Torc
Torc, a subsidiary of Daimler Truck, enters productization phase to prepare for commercial release.
In addition to existing routes in New Mexico, Texas and Arizona, the trucks will also be tested in autonomous mode on a new lane in Texas between Laredo and Dallas.
Joanna Buttler, Head of Autonomous Technology Group at Daimler Truck, stated: “Delivering the latest iteration of our autonomous-ready vehicle platform, including production-intent autonomy hardware to Torc marks a significant milestone for Daimler Truck towards series maturity and scaling.”
Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO of Torc, said: “Our strong collaboration with Daimler Truck represents six years of success in advancing the future of freight. Fully integrating Torc’s autonomous driver with Daimler Truck’s Freightliner Cascadia platform creates an industry-first, scalable, physical-AI autonomous trucking solution. This will unlock tremendous value for our customers by addressing key industry pain points and presents a clear opportunity to generate revenue and drive meaningful transformation across the industry.”

Stuttgart, Germany / Portland, USA – Daimler Truck North America has started delivering its latest flagship on-highway trucks to the autonomous testing fleet of Torc Robotics, a subsidiary of Daimler Truck. These trucks are based on the recently unveiled Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia, which was introduced last year. The autonomous-ready version of the new Freightliner flagship is equipped with redundant safety features like braking and steering and is intended for series production.

Joanna Buttler, Head of Autonomous Technology Group at Daimler Truck, stated: “Delivering the latest iteration of our autonomous-ready vehicle platform, including production-intent autonomy hardware to Torc marks a significant milestone for Daimler Truck towards series maturity and scaling.”

Daimler Truck North America was the first in the industry to develop a scalable, powertrain agnostic, redundant autonomous vehicle platform. To enable SAE Level 4 autonomous driving, the company has purposefully designed and built redundancy into the Freightliner Cascadia platform for safety-critical systems for safe, driverless operations. With over 1,500 engineering requirements, all translated into features, and a second set of electronically controlled systems like an integrated power network, the autonomous-ready Cascadia sets an industry standard for autonomous systems integration.

The new generation of the industry’s best-selling Class 8 truck in the North American market redefines benchmarks in safety, efficiency, and profitability. In addition to key features for increased aerodynamics and more business efficiency, the new truck offers expanded capabilities for the Detroit Assurance Suite of Safety Systems, an all-new Intelligent Braking Control System as well as Dual Stage Intelligent LED Headlights. The newest version of the Freightliner’s on-highway truck also delivers a greater than 35 percent fuel economy improvement since the model’s first introduction in 2007. Daimler Truck North America installs all essential compute and sensor kits during the vehicle production process. This preparation allows Torc Robotics to seamlessly integrate their virtual driver upon delivery.

Deployed on one of America’s busiest freight lanes between Laredo and Dallas

In addition to existing test routes in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona, these trucks will also be tested in autonomous mode on a new lane in Texas between Laredo and Dallas mainly on I- 35.

There is significant freight volume moving between Laredo and Dallas, connecting major cities like San Antonio and Austin. Torc recently announced that it has signed a leasing agreement for an autonomous hub in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This hub will serve as the operational base for its autonomous testing efforts, customer freight pilots, and future commercialization. Torc is driving toward productization, positioning itself to scale and commercialize safe, robust autonomous trucking solutions on this busy freight corridor under real-world conditions.

In 2024, Torc reached another milestone by successfully completing driver-out test runs on a multi-lane test track in Texas. As a next step, Daimler Truck and Torc will further develop autonomous trucks to safely achieve the driver-out capability on public roads.

Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO of Torc, said: “Our strong collaboration with Daimler Truck represents six years of success in advancing the future of freight. Fully integrating Torc’s autonomous driver with Daimler Truck’s Freightliner Cascadia platform creates an industryfirst, scalable, physical-AI autonomous trucking solution. This will unlock tremendous value for our customers by addressing key industry pain points and presents a clear opportunity to generate revenue and drive meaningful transformation across the industry.”

Market entry planned for 2027

Daimler Truck and Torc aim to enter the U.S. market with SAE Level 4 autonomous trucks by 2027. In this application, the autonomous driving system takes over the entire dynamic driving task between two freight hubs.

Autonomous trucks can enhance business operations and manage increasing freight volumes, especially during driver shortages. They also have the potential to reduce accidents, as the system remains alert and never tires. Daimler Truck has highlighted the highly scalable and profitable market opportunities that autonomous driving is expected to offer.

Contact Daimler Truck:

Anja Weinert, +1 669 6001478, anja.weinert@daimlertruck.com

Paul Mandaiker, +49 176 30 999 267, paul.mandaiker@daimlertruck.com

Contact Torc:

Laura Lawton, +1 408 505 5820, laura.lawton@torc.ai

Forward-looking statements

This document contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current views about future events. The words “aim”, “ambition”, “anticipate”, “assume”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, ”can”, “could”, “plan”, “project”, “should” and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to many risks and uncertainties, including an adverse development of global economic conditions, in particular a decline of demand in our most important markets; a deterioration of our refinancing possibilities on the credit and financial markets; events of force majeure including natural disasters, pandemics, acts of terrorism, political unrest, armed conflicts, industrial accidents and their effects on our sales, purchasing, production or financial services activities; changes in currency exchange rates, customs and foreign trade provisions; a shift in consumer preferences; a possible lack of acceptance of our products or services which limits our ability to achieve prices and adequately utilize our production capacities; price increases for fuel or raw materials; disruption of production due to shortages of materials, labor strikes or supplier insolvencies; a decline in resale prices of used vehicles; the effective implementation of cost-reduction and efficiency-optimization measures; the business outlook for companies in which we hold a significant equity interest; the successful implementation of strategic cooperations and joint ventures; changes in laws, regulations and government policies, particularly those relating to vehicle emissions, fuel economy and safety; the resolution of pending government investigations or of investigations requested by governments and the conclusion of pending or threatened future legal proceedings; and other risks and uncertainties, some of which are described under the heading “Risk and Opportunity Report” in the current Annual Report. If any of these risks and uncertainties materializes, or if the assumptions underlying any of our forward-looking statements prove to be incorrect, the actual results may be materially different from those we express or imply by such statements. We do not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements since they are based solely on the circumstances at the date of publication.

Torc’s Approach to AI

by Torc | April 30, 2025 | Featured | 0 Comments

Torc Names Steve Kenner as Chief Safety Officer

by Torc | April 17, 2025 | People Ops, Featured, News | 0 Comments

Daimler Truck’s Autonomous-Ready Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia Hits Texas Roads With Torc

by Torc | April 16, 2025 | Featured, News | 0 Comments

Texas Road Tour 2025: Legislators, First Responders Learn About Autonomous Trucking

by Kiley Thompson | Apr 11, 2025 | Education, Featured

Torc at GTC 2025, announcing collaboration with NVIDIA and Flex

On the road again! Our Torc autonomous truck traveled between Austin and Ft. Worth for the Texas Road Tour 2025

Willie Nelson famously sings about being on the road again, and Torcrs (with their love of all things transportation) made that our theme song during the last week of March 2025. Meeting with both state and local government as well as first responders, we put a few more miles on our autonomous truck between Austin and Fort Worth. Read on to find out details of the events.

March 25

We started the week in Austin, Texas, meeting with individuals from the Texas Department of Transportation at their Stassney Lane facility. Torc brought a vehicle to participate in the TXDOT AV Industry Demonstration Day, which showcased innovative technologies including autonomous passenger vehicles, trucks, and drones.

During this event, Torc met with various departments of transportation and departments of motor vehicles to discuss the benefits of autonomous driving and trucking. We had many meaningful conversations focused on sharing Torc’s approach to safety and how AVs can improve the safety and efficiency of freight transportation.

March 26

Torc conducted a First Responder Training event at Torc’s interim lot in Ft. Worth. Torc staff met with law enforcement, fire, EMS, and other first responders to discuss how to safely and effectively interact with Torc trucks.

“A great highlight was seeing how curious and engaged local first responders are about our trucks,” said Anita Kim, Director of Government Affairs and Policy. “They really appreciated the ability to see our technology up close and learn about how to interact safely with our trucks.”

Richard Russell, Torc’s Senior Manager of First Responder Policy, noted the interest of local law enforcement for Torc to conduct more one-on-one training experiences in the future.

March 27

Braving a stormy forecast, we finished the Road Tour back in Austin. We welcomed many individuals at the Texas state capitol where several companies participated in an autonomous vehicle showcase hosted by the Innovation and Technology Caucus of the Texas Legislature.

“Educating policymakers and first responders about how Torc is approaching safety and our future plans in Texas is critical to successful deployment in the state,” said Anita. “It is really important to have collaborative relationships where we operate and we are planning more events in the coming months.”

Daimler Truck CFO Eva Scherer Joins Torc Board

by Torc | Apr 2, 2025 | News

Daimler Truck Chief Financial Officer Eva Scherer smiles at the camera in a blue blouse and black blazer.

Daimler Truck CFO Eva Scherer Joins Torc Board

Torc is pleased to announce that Eva Scherer, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Daimler Truck Holding AG, has joined Torc’s Board of Directors as of February 24th, 2025. She joins the current board members Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, John O’Leary, President and CEO of Daimler Truck North America, and Peter Vaughan Schmidt, Torc’s CEO.

“I am looking forward to joining Torc’s Board of Directors to support the company on their journey towards the commercialization of autonomous trucking,” said Scherer.

Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO of Torc, welcomed Scherer to the Board, stating, “Eva’s leadership comes at a crucial time as Torc accelerates its development and commercialization efforts, from strengthening our engineering presence in Ann Arbor to launching a new autonomous truck hub in Dallas-Fort Worth. We’re proud to have her financial expertise as Daimler Truck’s CFO on Torc’s Board as we move toward the commercialization of autonomous trucking in 2027.”

Before becoming CFO of Daimler Truck in April 2024, Scherer held key leadership roles at Siemens AG, including Executive Vice President and Global Head of Investor Relations. With a background in strategic financial management across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, she has led initiatives that drive growth and successful long-term value creation.

GTC 2025 Recap: ‘The Competition Is Shocked’ By Progress, Collaboration With NVIDIA, Flex

by Kiley Thompson | Mar 25, 2025 | Featured, News

Sometimes, conferences are so big, they become a city within a city… with a very specific agenda. During the week of March 17, 2025, Over 39,000 people descended on San Jose to see all industry giant NVIDIA had to offer at their annual GPU Technology Conference, or GTC. Too big for a booth, one of Torc’s latest generation of autonomous trucks was stationed in the outdoor GTC exhibit area in Cesar Chavez Park, along with our 2025 custom Torc event experience space.

At the heart of the Torc experience, conference attendees closely inspected a sample of Flex’s Jupiter compute design platform, the scalable deck that holds the NVIDIA-powered DRIVE Orin system-on-a-chip (SoC) and DriveOS operating system. This scalable high-performance production hardware and software platform is already on the roads in our autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadias.

“It was really exciting to make our GTC debut this week, along with the announcement of our NVIDIA and Flex collaboration,” CJ King, Torc CTO, said at the event. “As we get closer to commercialization, it’s essential to share more of our best-in-class technology and get our world-class engineers out here to meet and share the story of Torc with others.”

In case you missed it: Torc Collaborates with Flex on Physical AI Platform for Autonomous Trucks, Accelerated by NVIDIA

Virtual Reality was one of the most popular attendee experiences across all the exhibitors this year, including the Torc VR, which allows individuals to “see” the built-in redundancies and systems inside the Freightliner Cascadia chassis. The Autonomous Demo Experience, which plays recorded Torc ADS highway drives along with their sensor visualizations, provided context when speaking to visitors about our sensor suite and product acceptance.

“Showcasing Torc’s production-intent hardware, software and AD kit on Daimler’s Freightliner Cascadia at this level created a significant wave of attention,” said Andrew Culhane, CCO. “We’re thankful for the attention we got from the thousands of GTC attendees, reporters, and technology partners. It’s another proof point that we’re right where we need to be right now, leading the pack in autonomy.”

The world’s leader in AI technology, NVIDIA announced the releases of new Rubin GPUs for 2026, Rubin Ultra in 2027, a new Feynman architecture in 2028, as well as the next-gen Blackwell Ultra B3000 GPUs. Jensen Huang’s two-hour keynote address on Tuesday drew over 20k people to San Jose’s SAP Center.

In case you missed it: GM, Gatik, Torc Team Up With NVIDIA to Accelerate Self-Driving

Torc's autonomous truck among the crowd at GTC

Torc Collaborates with Flex on Physical AI Platform for Autonomous Trucks, Accelerated by NVIDIA

by Torc | Mar 18, 2025 | News, Featured

The platform leverages NVIDIA DRIVE AGX with Flex’s Jupiter compute platform and manufacturing capabilities to support Torc’s productization and scaled market entry in 2027

BLACKSBURG, Va – March 18, 2025 – Torc, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving class 8 trucks, today announced its collaboration with Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX), a world-class provider of automotive-grade compute platforms, and NVIDIA to develop a scalable physical AI compute system for autonomous trucks.

The physical AI developed at Torc enables self-driving trucks to perceive, understand, and perform complex actions in the real (physical) world. For Torc, physical AI is the core of its software stack that enables trucks to autonomously perceive and navigate their surroundings end-to-end and in real-time using sensors like lidar, radar, and cameras. This allows the truck to make informed decisions about lane changes, braking, and obstacle avoidance to ensure safe and efficient autonomous driving operations and is the first deployment of physical AI for autonomous long-haul trucking at production scale.

Torc collaborated closely with NVIDIA on a multi-chip adaptable architecture that leverages DRIVE AGX using the DRIVE Orin system-on-a-chip (SoC) and DriveOS operating system, and with Flex for their Jupiter compute design platform and advanced manufacturing capabilities. This provides Torc with a scalable high-performance production hardware and software platform based on the autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia equipped with advanced technologies and redundant systems designed to support future deployment of autonomous driving capabilities. This platform was successfully validated by Torc’s driverless product acceptance test on a closed course at highway speeds last year.

NVIDIA DRIVE solutions, paired with Flex’s automotive compute design capabilities, adhere to Torc’s stringent size, performance, cost, and reliability requirements while meeting the total cost of ownership targets of its fleet customers who are pursuing non-stop, long-haul driverless trucking integration. This work provides a true Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) functionality: it is adaptable to ever changing operational design domains, including new lanes, new routes, new hubs, new hardware and sensor configurations, new operational rules, new road conditions, and more.

“NVIDIA DRIVE AGX has been industry-proven in full production for automotive real-time applications at the edge. It delivers the high compute performance, low latency, and multi-sensor connectivity needed for Torc’s sophisticated autonomous trucking software, delivering robust perception, prediction, and planning for safe and reliable operation,” said Rishi Dhall, Vice President of Automotive at NVIDIA. “Torc is on a clear path to scalable production for its commercial launch in 2027 and working toward a seamless upgrade to NVIDIA DRIVE AGX with DRIVE Thor.”

“Our collaboration with Torc, Daimler Truck, and NVIDIA illustrates how Flex partners across the full ecosystem to enable mobility companies to launch next-generation technology with greater resilience and speed,” said Mike Thoeny, President, Automotive, Flex. “We appreciate the trust Torc and Daimler Truck have placed in Flex through leveraging our Jupiter compute platform and advanced manufacturing capabilities to deliver autonomous long-haul trucking at scale.”

“Using Daimler Truck’s autonomous Freightliner Cascadias with built-in redundancy, our work with NVIDIA and Flex is already providing a stable and proven foundation for Torc’s autonomous vehicle technology,” said Torc’s CEO, Peter Vaughan Schmidt, “By leveraging NVIDIA’s DRIVE AGX in-vehicle compute and DriveOS, along with Flex’s Jupiter compute platform, we are able to ensure a low-risk, high-confidence path to production that is able to seamlessly transition as NVIDIA’s and Flex’s solutions continue to evolve.”

Along with Flex, Torc will showcase the advanced capabilities of the joint solution on its demo truck at NVIDIA’s upcoming GTC event from March 17-21, 2025, in San Jose, CA.

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 revolution, Torc has nearly 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 Austin, Texas, and Montreal, Canada, Torc has a fleet operations facility in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas, to support the company’s productization and commercialization efforts, as well as a presence in Ann Arbor, MI, to take advantage of the autonomous and automotive talent base in that region. 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.

Manifest 2025: Torc’s autonomous showcase debut steals the limelight

by Kiley Thompson | Feb 18, 2025 | News

Every trade show has that one booth that stands out as memorable. At Manifest 2025, from February 10-12 in Las Vegas, Torc was the owner of that booth. With the debut of our new road-show ready, custom-wrapped, open sided showcase trailer – pulled by an autonomous truck and positioned right at the front of the exhibit hall – the Torc presence at booth 215 had all the attendees talking.

Of particular interest to the attendees was a new demo experience setup, complete with a real Freightliner Cascadia driver’s seat. Guests choose from a selection of drives with their accompanying ADS data, to experience the wheel tracking while following the views and visualizations. The demo experience also highlights Aeva’s velocity-perception lidar providing another layer of explanation. After getting a first-pass explanation of self-driving technology, participants remarked they had a better understanding of the significance of the 2024 product acceptance footage playing on booth screens. Many conversations concluded with a truck walk-around and sensor sighting, ending with a selfie moment.

“We’re making it a point to get louder,” said Andrew Culhane, Torc’s Chief Commercialization Officer, who participated in a fireside chat about autonomous futures at the show. “With the new relationships we’re creating at shows like Manifest, we’re creating that larger and more complete autonomous ecosystem necessary to drive the future of freight for our partners. The Manifest show is a great place to have a spotlight moment.”

“Whenever we’re able to talk with freight professionals, trucking companies, supply chain experts and innovation thought leaders, we want to put our best foot forward and educate, not only about what we’re doing, but what the broader horizon holds for all of us,” said Jane Bailey, Vice President of Marketing & Communications. “Manifest is an exciting place to share how and what we’re doing with people who get the enormity of this technology.”

TransportTopics published news direct from the show floor, mentioning Torc’s attendance and the launch of hub-to-hub highway operations in 2027. Torc CEO Peter Vaughan Schmidt participated in a roundtable discussion on Wednesday, February 12, with Dustin Koehl, COO of Covenant, Josh Araujo, CEO of Forterra, and Paul Enos, CEO of the Nevada Trucking Association, moderated by Richard Bishop.

Manifest attracted 6,000 freight logistics, supply chain, and innovation professionals in 2025. This year’s Torc footprint and presence was the largest so far in the company’s history.

Torc's autonomous truck at Manifest 2025; a black semi-truck, wrapped with orange and blue abstract shapes, parked beneath a Torc sign

A banner that reads, "Torc.AI" on a convention center floor.

Torc Robotics' booth at Manifest: a truck trailer broken out with places to sit, watch videos about Torc, and talk to Torc employees.

The inside of Torc Robotics' booth at Manifest 2025. Several black couches and brown leather loveseats surround a coffee table; TVs mounted on the walls offer a look at the Torc truck on the road.

Torc Robotics employees pose in front of a booth at Manifest 2025.

Torc CEO, Peter Vaughn Schmidt, poses in front of Torc's black autonomous truck at a convention center.

Dr. Nico Heußner: Advancing Lidar Technology for Self-Driving Trucks

by Torc | Feb 13, 2025 | People Ops

Dr. Nico Huebner speaks at an automotive panel.

Advancing Lidar Technology for Self-Driving Trucks

Building safe, commercially viable autonomous vehicles starts with reliable hardware and a redundant system. Across all levels of self-driving car and truck, lidar is a critical piece of safety equipment. In tandem with cameras and radar units, lidar allows our autonomous trucking stack to develop a full and complete image of the environment around it.

Every day, we’re laser-focused on developing new approaches for our self-driving technology – including our lidar units. In his capacity as a component engineer for long range lidar, Dr. Nico Heußner is a leading force in advancing our lidar technology through strong expertise, paired with advanced project lead skills and the ability to educate both colleagues and students alike.

A Leader in Lidar at Torc Robotics

As a senior member of the hardware engineering team at Torc, Dr. Heußner leads Torc’s 4D lidar hardware components. Whether it’s selecting the best components available, defining sensor sets, solving bugs, or evaluating environmental impacts, his experience in optical design and system architecture allows him to understand every aspect of a sensor unit.

On a day to day basis, Dr. Heußner’s work includes organizing workshops amongst both product and engineering teams, embarking and leading technical deep dives, and ensuring communication across all stakeholder teams – including investors like Daimler Truck, a world class leader in the commercial auto space, and partners like Aeva, Torc’s long range lidar supplier. He’s also often in the field leading hands-on hardware and software troubleshooting, such as Torc’s recent autonomous product validation.

Dr. Heußner credits his success in lidar to a mix of early exposure, hands-on experience, and mentorship during his Ph.D. and subsequent career at Bosch. “It was a mixture of high interest and motivation, a lot of work, and being in the right environment to pursue these interests,” he explains.

At Torc, Dr. Heußner thrives on the opportunity to make a tangible impact. “While I had learned about lidar sensors for many years, it is now about putting them to use to enable our L4 trucks.”

His ultimate vision is to look back one day and see self-driving trucks in action, knowing he played a part in their development.

It’s no secret that there are challenges to produce a safe, commercially viable self-driving truck. From working with federal and state regulators to developing robust and redundant safety protocols, the development landscape has a few hills to climb. However, Dr. Heußner is confident that self-driving truck companies like Torc Robotics will be able to find solutions that fit into each unique road, city, and carrier environment.

He manages sensor requirements across the autonomous fleet, working with partners like AEVA and Daimler Truck to find hardware solutions that can be implemented within the constraints of schedule, budget, team workload, and more. His ability to consider multiple factors when making decisions adds to the Torc team’s capacity to remain flexible across a fast-paced environment.

He also highlights communication as a critical skill for engineers. Over years of teaching and collaborating with colleagues, Dr. Heußner has refined his ability to convey complex ideas effectively—a skill he continues to develop.

Shaping the Future of Self-Driving Trucks

As the automotive industry moves toward greater autonomy, lidar remains a cornerstone of innovation. Dr. Nico Heußner’s expertise and dedication to both the technology and the people behind it exemplify the kind of leadership needed to turn bold visions into reality. His work at Torc Robotics is about equipping autonomous truck technology with the latest sensors, paving the way for safer, more efficient transportation systems that will define the future of logistics and mobility.